A Beautiful Mess
by PeachyKeen83
Summary: She was a walking contradiction with a chip on her shoulder. He was a loner with a soul to squeeze. Together, they could make one beautiful mess - if only they could just learn to let it all go. Multi-couples & completely AU. R
1. Life, As We Thought We Knew It

**A Beautiful Mess**

**~x-X-x~**

"_And what a beautiful mess this is. _

_It's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes. _

_And through timeless words and priceless pictures, we'll fly like birds not of this earth. _

_And tides they turn, and hearts disfigure_

_But that's no concern when we're wounded together"_

_**Jason Mraz – A Beautiful Mess**_

_**~x-X-x~**_

**Chapter 1: Life, As We Thought We Knew It**

**~x-X-x~**

"_They will not control us, they will stop degrading us..."_

Angry tunes spewed from the open-top comet as it sped through the school parking lot, picking up onlookers in its path. _**Rccccccchhhhhhhhh! **_Tires cried out in agony as they cornered the asphalt, begging for traction. In a haze of rubber smoke and windswept hair, the car lurched to a stop. Shuddering, the engine sputtered and sighed. In a swift movement, the door handle clicked and a pair of ivory, svelte legs extended to the ground. Taking in the surroundings, hazel eyes landed on what seemed to be a sea of interested eyes. Staring at the girl before them, she was a picture of beauty yet a puzzle unsolved. Staring was the only option.

_And all she wanted to do was run away and hide._

But this was the day-to-day life of Peyton Sawyer. A walking contradiction if there ever was one. She was popular, but rarely spoke to anyone. She was a cheerleader but regularly misplaced her smile and school spirit. She was trendy, but wouldn't be found dead spritzing herself with the latest Gucci scent or Max Factor gloss. And although she looked the part of the regular beautiful high-school barbie doll, she never listened to popular music or wore the latest fashion-forward clothing lines. Instead, she immersed herself with the likes of Muse, Radiohead, Jack's Mannequin and Travis, and she preferred mini skirts and band T-shirts as her style of choice. Add that to her choice of car, an older style 1964 Mercury _comet_ Caliente, and she literally was a stark contrast to the zippy Volkswagen beetle-driving rich kids that buzzed around the school like they were royalty.

Peyton often wondered how on Earth she managed to be so popular when she felt like such an outcast? It was then that two people crossed her vision and instantaneously answered her question. Dressed in Calvin Klein jeans and figure-hugging top, Brooke Davis was an image of sheer divinity. Chocolate locks dangled dangerously over her petite shoulders, their slow movements in the breeze enough to hypnotize the hoards of hormone-driven males at Tree Hill High. Her body has reached cult-like status, and had she been around in this day and age, Helen of Troy would be have a fierce rival for the title of _the face who could sink a thousand ships_. In essence, the cheery brunette was stunningly beautiful. Add that to the fact that she was the head cheerleader, had more money than she knew what to do with, and had a laugh that would melt the hearts of even the coldest fish, and even the blind could see that Brooke really was someone to envy.

_She also happened to be Peyton's best friend_.

Standing beside Brooke was the second reason Peyton rode the Popular train. _Nathan Scott_. _**Boyfriend. Basketballer. Bad Ass.**_ The raven-haired jock also happened to be Tree Hill High's Sporting GOD! Since the age of five, the kid had game. Shooting hoops and winning national recognition, he seemed unstoppable and had always enjoyed a plethora of adoration. Driven by an equally aggressive father, he was on the fast track to being one of the minute few who could have been drafted out of high school. Wherever he walked, he was adored. Guys wanted to be him and girls wanted to have him.

_But it was Peyton Sawyer who had caught his eye._

And so the blonde had learned to accept the interest that spurted her way whenever she arrived at school. Being popular and yet not behaving like the norm kept people intrigued. They knew of her, but didn't really know her. Some called her a bitch, others a fake. She'd even heard the word lesbian thrown around a few times like it was some sort of explanation for her behaviour.

_Angry, alternative lesbian._

Theresa had found herself egged on the way to cheerleading practice thanks to that comment. Brooke was also a fiercely loyal and protective friend.

"P. Sawyer!" came the raspy call as the brunette laid eyes on the curly-haired blonde, arms waving above her head as she made her way forward through the crowd. "Have I got news for you!"

Peyton stopped and smiled, an expression she saved for but a few people in the entire town, Brooke being one of them. It was hard not to enjoy being around Brooke because she was so cheery all the time. Bouncing like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, she was a ball of excitement. Laughing, Peyton allowed her best friend to plummet into her with a choking hug.

"Good morning to you too," the blonde breathed out, a slight chuckle coming from her lips. "And how many coffees have we had this morning?"

"Three, but that's besides the point," Brooke replied, catching her breath as she leaned in to speak. "So word has it, and I have this on very good authority, that due to budget cuts and the population decrease or some crap like that, Tree Hill East is closing its doors. As of like, last week!"

Brooke jumped up and down a little at the excitement, Peyton throwing her a confused look like somehow she had missed where the joy was in her statement.

"Don't you see, Peyton?" Brooke replied, imploring her with her eyes and voice to have her friend see where she was going with the whole conversation. "That's an entire school, closed. They say half are coming here whilst the other half will be heading over to Bear Creek or whatever."

"Well that's great Brooke," Peyton replied, her next sentence laced with her usual tone of sarcasm. "Now we can look forward to more crowded classrooms, grumpier teachers and a bigger queue for the cafeteria."

Un-phased by her response, Brooke countered Peyton's statement with another, more positive spin on the situation.

"Orrrrr, we can get new cheerleaders for fresher routines, new basketball players to support your boy-wonder out there and NEW BOYS to entertain the rest of us lonely gals!"

"Eeeeeeeee," screamed Bevin, racing over like a kid on a sugar high. "More boys Brooke, I'm so excited!"

"I wish we all could be," Brooke replied, an angry scowl crossing her features as she wrapped her arm in Peyton's and dragged her forward. "But some are being more difficult than most!"

It wasn't hard to see who was having a problem with this. The only issue was, Peyton had no idea why. Leaning up against the brick wall besides the school entrance, Nathan looked more angry than excited. As the whole school buzzed around the news, Nathan appeared frustrated. His usual basketball crowd gathered around him, and as per usual, they were in complete agreement with their captain. Whispering in her ear, Brooke begged Peyton to make her boyfriend see reason.

"He's being a complete tool about it. Says it's a bad idea for our school's reputation to be letting in riff-raff from the other side of the river."

"He's even gone as far as to say his father is looking into petitioning the idea," Bevin replied, quickly catching up and sliding alongside Brooke, "says his dad is beyond mad about it and they're gonna rally the parent committees..."

"But why?" Peyton asked, unsure why her boyfriend would be so dead against such a merger. "It could be nice to see some new faces around here, feel more like a place you could get lost in..."

"So you'll talk to him? Great!" Brooke stated, thanking her friend with a quick tap on her behind and skipping off. "I'll come find you in Trig!"

"Brooke!" Peyton called after her, only too aware that her friend had pulled a rather shifty manoeuvre on her. It wasn't the first time that such a thing had happened. And normally Peyton wouldn't mind doing Brooke a favour since she had been her rock these past years. But talking to Nathan was like talking to a brick wall. He boxed all his emotions like they were a prized possession. Or maybe he was just too easily influenced by his Dad, the man often telling Peyton that to date an elite athlete was like dating half a man – because you were only ever going to get that much of him. And in many ways, it was true. Nathan and Peyton rarely talked about the important stuff. In fact, they only ever seemed to talk about the latest efforts on the court, or the latest scandal that was burning like wildfire throughout the school, or even the latest free pass he got in class because he won championships. In the two years that they had been together, they had never talked about music, or literature or art. They'd never gone a date anywhere that wasn't filled with a million familiar faces from school. Dating Nathan was like dating a celebrity in a way because he was always surrounded by people.

Some may have wondered why they were even together, but in order for that to happen they would have to know the truth. From the outside looking in, they seemed like the perfectly matched couple. Basketball captain dating blonde cheerleader. It didn't get much more high school cliché than that! For Peyton though, it was enough. She liked the easiness of dating someone like Nathan. He never wanted to get emotional, it was either happy or mad. There was no time for any emotion in between. She never had to delve into her inner thoughts or feelings because he quite simply didn't seem to understand them, and for her that was okay. When her mother had passed away from cancer two years ago, it was easier to just have Nathan sit there and say nothing than for her to have to try and answer a million questions about how she was feeling. Yes, their relationship worked because it was all he knew and all she was capable of dealing with. So pulling up alongside the disgruntled jock wasn't too hard. It was the getting him to change his mind that was the giant task at hand.

"We can't have these kids coming in here and taking over our school," Nathan ranted, his basketball team-mates nodding their heads in complete agreement. "They'll bring down our scores. They'll try and take over our team. They'll ruin everything we've worked so hard to build!"

"It's not like it's their fault, Nate," the blonde interjected, much to the confusion of the boys surrounding her. "Their school closed down. They have no control over it."

"They should go somewhere else," came his gruff reply, annoyance dripping off every syllable. "We don't want them here!"

"Yeah," came the supportive cry of his team mates, fists pumping in the air as if to cement their opinion. Their loud cries seemed to bounce off the vehicles in the crowded parking lot at the end of the footpath, and suddenly Peyton felt over-crowded. Tugging at Nathan's jacket, hazel eyes gazed up to be met with cerulean orbs.

"Can we talk?" Peyton asked softly, the roar of the jocks already getting out of control as they cried out about a cause they could probably care less about. "In private?"

Watching her closely, Nathan hesitated for a moment and then relented. "Alright. Lead the way." Looking back over his shoulder, he motioned to his vice captain Tim that he was headed inside with Peyton and disappeared into the crowded hallway. Diving in and out of adoring faces, tiny fingers intertwined with a rough palm as Peyton allowed herself to be dragged through the masses of bodies floating downstream. Finding their usual supply closet, Nathan ducked inside and pulled the blonde in with him, a few wolf whistles echoing down the hall. Suddenly, the teenagers were closed in complete darkness. Reaching across the cold, alabaster wall, a tiny hand found the light switch and flicked it upward. Flooded with light, Nathan watched and waited.

"What was all that about out there?" Peyton questioned, folding her arms as if ready for battle. Nathan sighed, knowing this stance all too well. No one could ever accuse Peyton Sawyer of not being fiery. Usually, she let him go past with his rantings about whatever was on his mind at the time, but somehow she knew it was different this time. Perhaps it was the fact that, with the exclusion of his dad, she was perhaps the person he spent most of his time with. Sighing, two hands ploughed their way into the jacket's pockets and defeated eyes looked straight at the blonde before them.

"He goes to that school Peyt," the boy replied, anger mixed with a little desperation filtering in his tone. "When my Dad found out, he went ballistic."

"He?" Peyton quizzed, a little surprised by Nathan's confession. "_He_ who, Nathan?"

Cerulean eyes dropped instantaneously as Nike shoes scuffed across the linoleum floor. Heavy breaths expelled from tense lips as the basketballer shuffled uneasily on the spot. Every inch of his body had tensed, muscles contracting together in anger. Seeing his reaction meant only one thing. The boy he was referring to was one which Nathan had successfully managed to avoid his entire life.

_One Peyton had never met but knew of quite well._

"You mean Lucas?"

A disgusted scoff left Nathan's mouth then and he angrily punched the wall. The shelving rattled from the blow, the basketballer immediately grabbing at his hand. Peyton understood then why her boyfriend was in such a state. Lucas wasn't just another basketball star who was more than capable of rivalling Nathan on the court – he was Lucas _Scott_, his estranged brother.

_He was the guy Nathan had never forgiven for existing._

Lucas was in fact Nathan's older brother. During High School, his father Dan had dated Lucas' mother Karen. She had fallen pregnant their senior year, but with a scholarship to a prestigious college, Dan Scott made the decision to leave Karen and his upcoming son to focus on his basketball career. His decision dealt him an ironic twist of fate however when his new college girlfriend Deb Lee, fell pregnant with Nathan. Having the support system of her wealthy family however, Dan left college and settled down with Deb, bringing both his new wife and son to Tree Hill. Upon hearing of his return, Karen and her newborn son went to see the man who had abandoned them, hoping for some sort of help and relationship between father and son. Dan had refused, and so Lucas had never known his father, and thus, never got to know his brother. For Nathan, Lucas was nothing more than his father's mistake, a parasite on their family that would never go away but could be successfully ignored. Now it seemed, his solace in that ideal would be short lived, because if Dan's parents and citizen's meeting was to backfire, Lucas Scott would become a permanent fixture at Tree Hill High.

_And in turn, a permanent fixture in Nathan's life._

"My Dad will fix this," Nathan fiercely determined, unable to even acknowledge that it was indeed Lucas who he was talking about. "That bastard will not be coming to my school."

"Nathan," Peyton spoke his name softly, a delicate hand running down his shoulder as she tried to get him to look at her, "Maybe it's time for the two of you to bury the hatchet? He is your only brother after all. Why are you paying for your father's mistake? His coming here might be a good thing..."

"Are you out of your mind?" Nathan replied angrily, pushing her hand to the side as he paced the closet. Whirling around, he glared angrily at her. "You know how I feel about the guy. I cannot believe you are defending him."

"I'm defending you," Peyton responded quickly, wanting to douse out the fire threatening to rage between them. "I don't like seeing you so stressed. I'm trying to do the right thing."

Suddenly, the class bell rang out above them, feet scattering on the other side of the door to get to class. Exhaling deeply, Nathan glanced up at Peyton with a look so serious it took her breath away.

"If you wanna do the right thing, then be a good girlfriend and stand by my side at the meeting tonight."

Before she could even answer him, the basketballer abruptly turned and opened the door, making his way out into the hall. As Peyton ran to the door, she saw his raven locks disappearing in the rushing crowd of matriculating students.

"Great," she breathed out, talking to herself as the halls began to slowly empty. Reaching for her bag, she stepped into the hall and jogged down to her classroom, wondering what on Earth she was going to do tonight.

_Life was just too damn complicated._

**~x-X-x~**

"So this could be the new digs?" came an interested tone, honeyed sweet mixed with a drop of humour, "I could like it, I suppose."

"You would like anything that had chicks and wide open spaces to croon in, Chris." came the sarcastic reply, two pairs of eyes staring straight ahead at Tree Hill High from the bonnet of their car. The front lawn was heavily populated with parents and community citizens, all eager to start the new meeting and get to the bottom of this supposed high school merger. The was a buzz of excitement in the air, but it was clear not everyone was willing to allow this to happen. In fact, as Chris Keller sat watching these people traipse back and forth over the green lawn of the school, he wondered how on earth his friend was feeling. Turning to the right, he stared at the brooding basketball hero and squinted, the sun reflecting in his smoky-blue eyes.

"So Luke, which one is he?"

Lucas Scott knew who his friend was referring to. It was the very man he had successfully avoided his entire life. With cell phone brought to his ear, Dan Scott cut a foreboding figure even from a distance, and as Lucas tilted his head, he nodded towards his father to give Chris a good look.

"The monkey in the Hugo Boss suit. Although, to be honest I think he's cutting a figure more like a baboon than monkey these days."

"Fat blaster?" Chris questioned, staring at the man with the million-dollar smile. "He certainly does look a little more gruff. Or is it buff? It's hard to tell what is what in the animal kingdom these days."

"I'd go with Baboon, personally," came a soft voice from behind, Haley James jumping on the end of the bonnet and staring ahead with the rest of her friends. "Just the name itself identifies looks and personality, you know?"

"Baboon it is then," Chris agreed, all three pairs of eyes now watching the eldest Scott as he turned and saw them. "Thank god you managed to get out alive, Scott."

"That's one way of putting it," Lucas countered, Dan's eyes drifting over them all before he quickly turned away and ushered people inside with him. "I don't even know how his wife and other son put up with it."

"Drugs," Haley offered, turning to both boys and smiling. "And denial. Definitely."

Lucas smiled as his friends gave him a supportive grin, feeling suddenly at ease. Chris Keller and Haley James were his two closest friends at Tree Hill East, and he had been seriously concerned about the three of them when the school had announced it was closing it's doors. Luckily though, they lived fairly close to one-another on the other side of the river and thus somehow managed to land themselves at the same school. While Lucas was the blonde-haired, blue-eyed basketball hero of his high school, Haley was the quiet over-achiever who had been his friend since they were both born. Their mother's had raised them together, and Haley was often seen crawling out of her bedroom window at night and creeping over to Lucas' house. It was lucky he lived just across the street. Down the road you would find Chris Keller, sultry musician who used humour as a means of self-preservation. Well, that and lots of booze and women. A serial dater, he was perhaps the most excited of the three to be merging schools, his motto of "more fish in the sea" becoming a reality right before their very eyes.

"So, is your sis coming to the meeting tonight Hales?"

"Nope," the honey-haired girl replied, breathing out a sigh of relief at the idea. "Taylor said she wouldn't be caught dead here any sooner than she needed to be."

"Of course," Chris replied, sneering a little at the thought. "Queen Tay wouldn't want to be scared off by a little competition, would she?"

"Competition?" came a shrill laugh, a laugh from the right side causing all three to suddenly turn their heads. "Puh-lease. These skanks have nothing on us East-side girls." Dressed in a tight-fitting top and even tighter jeans, Rachel Gattina made her way towards the three amigos (as she liked to call them) and placed her hands firmly in Lucas'. Smiling, the fiery redhead leaned in and pressed her lips against his, Chris sniggering as Haley made a face of disgust at the public spectacle. "Right baby?"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Chris answered before Lucas could even make a sound, everyone following his gaze and landing on the sight of Brooke Davis and her clan. "They sure do have some talent here."

"Whatever," Rachel replied, turning around and sinking herself into Lucas' lap, his arms circling around her stomach. "She's not that great. Besides, look at all the airheads around her. I mean, it's like the blind leading the blind in the fashion sense department. Some of them are even wearing last season and off-the-rack. Eeew."

As if she had somehow managed to hear what Rachel had said, Brooke turned and gazed over at them. She eyed them off, Chris throwing up his usual grin as Lucas stared at her. It wasn't until Haley nudged him from the side that Lucas turned away. With a look of concern etched across her face, Haley nodded forward and Lucas followed her gaze, eyes landing directly on Nathan Scott. In a stare-off to rival the best of them, the two estranged brothers glared at one-another, their eye lock only broken by the blaring music screaming through the school parking lot.

"_Like the naked leads the blind_

_I know I'm selfish_

_I'm unkind_

_Sucker love I always find_

_Someone to bruise and leave behind..."_

Screeching to a stop a few spaces down from their car, the quartet glanced over as the vintage vehicle pulled in. The parking lot was thrown into silence with the cutting of the engine. In one swift, fluid movement, the girl hit the pavement and stood, turning to grab her coat from the back. Dressed in jeans and a Jimmy Eat World T-shirt, she wasn't what they had expected to see at the school. Smoky blue collided with hazel magnificence and stared, the blonde goddess before him a thing of beauty.

"Damn," came Chris' shocked expression, all four teenagers watching the girl slide into a leather jacket. "Where did she come from?"

As he spoke, the blonde turned and looked at them all again. As if uncomfortable, she glared back and raised her eyebrows, almost daring them to explain their inability to look elsewhere.

"And she's a fiery one," Haley replied, as if that somehow made her more likeable. "Thank god we don't have a school filled with air-headed cheerleaders!"

"Hey," Rachel hit her, clearly annoyed with Haley's remark. "_I _am a cheerleader."

"I think you spoke to soon," Lucas replied, Brooke and her posse descending upon the blonde protectively. "Looks like she's one of them and we've just upset Momma Bear!"

Brooke turned and shot them all a hardened look, wrapping her arm around Peyton's and dragging her forward. The girls giggled, but the blonde didn't smile, instead turning back to shoot the four teenagers another look.

"I could dig a cheerleader," Chris interjected, still unable to take his eyes off the mysterious blonde. "Seriously, I've done it before."

Standing in the middle of the grass, Chris surveyed the blonde carefully. She was unlike any of the girls that surrounded her. Where they wore tight shirts and high-heels, she wore T-shirts and sketchers. Where they bounced with excitement, she stood reserved and somewhat scowl-ish. Their smiles were met with her looks of distaste. It was hard not to look at her because she was so different.

"I so call dibs!" Chris replied, happily looking over at his friends as they rolled their eyes.

"You might wanna talk to him first," Haley replied, bursting Chris' bubble. "He might have something to say about it."

Chris watched as Nathan Scott made his way over to the blonde, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. Lucas stood as his brother glared at him, the two facing off in a war of silence once again.

"That's Peyton Sawyer," Lucas replied, having heard about Nathan's girlfriend through the grapevine. "From what I hear, she's a bitch with an attitude. Stay away man, that's all I got to say."

"Figures," Haley replied, standing to join Lucas when Nathan turned and pulled his crowd away with him. "All girls who date jocks are."

"Hey," Rachel exclaimed again, hitting Lucas in the stomach. "Say something."

"It's time for the meeting," Lucas replied, gathering his own little group and stepping onto the grass. "Time to find out if we'll be matriculating with these guys or not."

They stood and made their way across the grass, two wide doors of the school hall beckoning them forward. As groups from different walks of life entered the hall, it was hard to imagine that two rivalling teams could ever be forced to work as one. Taking their seats, the atmosphere so tense you could cut it with a knife, Dan Scott stepped to the podium and placed his hands on either side of the mahogany stand, grey-blue eyes dominating the room.

_And so it begins._

**~x-X-x~**

**I just seem to be inspired to write lately, and after not writing Chreyton for a while I felt the urge to explore them again. Please review as your words help shape my ideas into a reality, and it's always great to hear other perspectives to make me think of things that may not have even crossed my mind! :)**

**Enjoy!**


	2. Batten Down The Hatches

**A Beautiful Mess**

**~x-X-x~**

"_Batten down the hatch_

_Cause we're all coming in_

_Like uninvited guests_

_Romancing everything..."_

_**Snow Patrol – Batten Down The Hatch**_

**~x-X-x~**

**Chapter 2: Batten Down The Hatches**

"_Parents and citizens of Tree Hill High, and Tree Hill East respectively. I ask only that you listen to reason and see that this merger between our two high schools will have negative affects on our children both academically and regarding extra-curricular activities."_

Gracing the podium like he was running for the Senate, Dan Scott cut a figure that was both dominating and intimidating. His voice boomed out across the crowd, his words met with looks of approval. A few people shouted out their agreement, clenched fists thrown into the air like a salute to his words. Students shuffled in their seats as the debate ensued, one person in particular feeling so out of place she felt the need to break free. Claustrophobia seemed to creep upon her more and more as the days passed by. She need to make a run for it!

However, it was impossible for Peyton to do so. Holding her hand tightly in his, Nathan Scott spent the entire session either nodding his head in approval of his father's words, or glaring with hatred at the brother who sat on the other side of the hall with his friends. Every now and again he would lurch forward and bring her hand to his lips, grazing her fingers with his soft touch. Then he would simply revert back into tough mode, nodding his head once again when people cheered on Dan's rant. As hazel eyes gazed across the hall, she noticed Brooke texting on her phone, Bevin staring ahead in wonderment (Peyton was later to figure out that little flecks of dust particles in the air had somehow managed to grab the blonde's undivided attention), and the rest of the Tree Hill Ravens grunting in their seats, just waiting for their captain to nod his head in approval. When he did so, it was like an instruction to the team, with all of them shouting out their support. Clenched fists pumped in the crisp air with a roar. It only brought a smile to the powerful figure before them.

"_We have too many sporting talents in both schools, that to amalgamate a team would mean cutting half of them. This will result in a drop of GPAs with few extra-curricular activities to cover the loss."_

"My Dad is completely right. What would you do if they cut you from the cheer squad because someone from the other school decided they wanted your spot?"

It took a minute for Peyton to realize that Nathan was talking to her. Truth be told, she didn't care much for the cheerleading. She'd gotten into it because her mother had been one in high school and the two were extremely close. _Were_ being the operative word. Since her mother's passing, the blonde hadn't been the same. She stayed on the team for Brooke though, the feisty brunette having held her hand and wiped her tears throughout the whole ordeal. It meant a lot to Brooke, and Brooke meant a lot to Peyton. So if Nathan thought being ousted from the team was meant to tug at her heartstrings and make her panic at the thought, he was wrong. It wasn't his fault though – they barely talked.

_In fact, she barely talked to anyone._

Shuffling in her seat, she glanced to her left in curiosity. Lucas Scott sat there, listening to what his father had to say without so much as a scowl on his face. It amazed her watching him like this, wondering what must have been ticking away in his mind. A slender hand reached up and wrapped itself around the redhead sitting beside him and brought her close. Tilting her head onto his shoulder, she looked perfectly at ease, if not a little bored. As he twisted his neck to lay a kiss on her forehead, his crystal blue eyes connected with curious hazels. They glanced at each other for a minute, Dan's words sounding out around them.

"_... sense of school pride. Both school's have been a foundation for many community services in the area. We will now see a drop in helping the less fortunate should both schools merge."_

It was an unusual feeling, staring at someone she was supposed to have hated but seeing a face that seemed completely normal. She didn't know him, and yet she was Nathan's girlfriend, and thus he was the enemy. It seemed ridiculous to her that she should hate this seemingly normal boy because of a family feud that wasn't even started between these two. She wanted to do what was best for Nathan because she'd known him as long as she could remember and he deserved nothing less than her loyalty. But what if Lucas Scott wasn't the enemy here? What if there was a chance Nathan could have a brother someday? The closest Peyton had gotten to a sibling was Brooke, and she was lucky in a million ways to have her. But that didn't stop the loneliness of feeling like you were all by yourself in the world. Why should Nathan miss out on a brother- hate him- because his father had made a choice so many years ago? What is it they used to say?

_Hate breeds hate?_

"Hate breeds hate," the blonde whispered under her breath, Nathan turning in his seat to see what she was looking at. Met with the blue orbs of his enemy, the raven-haired basketballer scowled and brought his girlfriend closer to him. A sturdy arm proceeded to wrap around her shoulder and pull her in. Lucas merely scoffed at the action, raising his eyebrows at Nathan in amusement. Brought into his chest, Peyton could feel the acceleration of his heartbeat. Anger coursed through his veins and caused him to shudder. Reaching out, the blonde snaked her bony fingers through his tightened hand and grasped. Sliding upwards, she placed a kiss on his neck and brought his attention back to her, feeling him ease instantaneously once his stare was broken.

"_We will call a short recess and then call upon more speakers. Refreshments can be found at the back of the hall."_

Getting to her feet, Peyton shuffled out of the row and turned to face the Nathan. The raven-haired star wrapped an arm around her shoulders and dragged her out through the double-doors, the evening air sending out streaks of vibrant oranges, pinks and purples across the sky. Huddling close together, they were soon joined by Brooke and Bevin, the two girls ushering them into the uncrowded hallway as bodies spewed into the foyer.

"How do you think it's going?" Nathan asked, the stress evident in his face. A sturdy hand reached up and slid through his raven locks, a move Peyton had come to understand was one of nerves. Breathing out deeply, she leaned against the cold, cemented wall and waited for the inevitable breakdown on the meeting thus far.

"I'm not sure," Brooke quipped, taking out her Blackberry and scanning through the messages, biting her bottom lip. "Theresa says there are quite a few people on her side of the hall who seem to be in agreement with your Dad."

"Well that's good," the basketballer breathed, nodding his head as if to convince himself that things were going as planned. "Dan said all the people needed was a leader to show them the right way."

Peyton thought it was such an odd statement, almost something a dictator would have said to the people he was trying to rule. Then again, this was Dan Scott they were talking about and so in the end the statement seemed typical. Still, at this point in time she thought it best to stay silent, choosing instead to watch her aggravated boyfriend while he continued on his rant.

"What do you think?"

_Unless of course he asked her that._

"Uhm," came the startled reply, hazel eyes landing on his deep cerulean orbs in uncertainty. Biting her lower lip, Peyton took a deep breath and stood up straight.

_Bzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz._

Feeling her pocket come to life, the blonde's hands dove into the denim fabric and searched. Dragging her phone free, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her father's smiling face before her, holding it up for her boyfriend to see.

"It's Dad. I gotta take this."

Nathan nodded his head in response, leaning back against the wall as Peyton skipped away. Darting through the crowd, she broke free of the gloomy constraints of the school's foyer and out into the calmness of the evening dusk. Bringing the phone to her ear, she blocked out the rest of the world as she heard the familiar voice of the man she adored.

"Dad?"

"Hey kiddo," came the jubilant response, Larry Sawyer greeting his daughter with words doused in happiness. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too," she replied, tears already beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. It was always that way when it came to her father, the man often spending weeks away from home at a time for work. It was alright when Peyton was younger because her mother was around, but when she passed away her father didn't know what else to do. His daughter could also see how much being home killed him because he saw his wife everywhere. As much as she loved him, she couldn't force him to stay home with her to make herself happy. As much as she missed him, she knew being out at sea was something he really loved and so she tried her best to support him.

_Even though it tore her apart and made her feel more lonely than she had ever imagined possible._

"When are you coming home?"

"Well uh, see the reason I'm calling is..."

Peyton closed her eyes as soon as she heard those words. It didn't matter what else he had to say at this point because the tone in his voice told her everything she needed to know.

_Another assignment. Not enough achieved this time. The boss wants him to stay another day, or week or month. _

Sinking to the soft grass beneath her, Peyton blinked away the salty tears that threatened her lifeless eyes. She mumbled the responses her dad needed to hear.

_Don't worry about it. Of course I'm okay. I'll be fine. I love my freedom. _

But never the words that were the actual truth.

_I miss my Daddy. I feel alone. _

_I'm not okay._

Saying her goodbyes, Peyton closed her eyes and allowed the evening glow to try and impart some warmth in her direction. Truth was, her insides hurt from the news. It wasn't enough that everything at school was changing, but everything at home did too. It was like in the blink of an eye the world decided that nothing was as it should have been and thus made a mess of it all. Was it really too much to ask for the heaven's above to grant her a moment's rest, a miniscule minute of reprieve so she could get her bearings and just breathe?

_In and out. In and out._

_Just breathe._

Laying back, she could feel the spiky grass tickling her hands but she didn't care. Hazel eyes disappeared behind heavy eyelids and for a brief moment the world was gone. No pain, no disappointment and no heartache. A bird chirped in the distance and the noise of the world fell away with it's song.

_In and out. In and out._

_Just breathe..._

… **HOLY SHIT!**

Jerking upright, golden curls hugged at leather-clad shoulders in distress. Hazel eyes darted across to the entrance of the hall and squinted. _Argh! Not a body in sight!_ Scrambling to her feet, the blonde sprinted across the grass towards the school. _Clock. __**Click.**__ Clock. __**Click**_**.** Thick boot heels pounded the pavement in quick succession, creamy hands grabbing the front entrance and pulling. Sliding through the glass doors, Peyton was met with a sight she didn't want to see.

"Damn it!"

Cursing under her breath, she pulled at the latch on the hall doors in desperation. They remained closed, not amount of pulling unable to unlock them. Sighing, she hit the door once and brought her hand to her face, dragging it slowly over her eyes and cursing once more.

"Cheer up Blondie, it's not the end of the world."

Whirling around, Peyton's eyes narrowed in on the boy in shock. Sparkling blue eyes landed on hazel perfection, a gaze lasting all of a minute before the signature grin took over his lips. She scowled and glared at him, her annoyed expression clearly thrilling him as his mouth parted in a dazzling smile. Leaning backwards in the chair, he wrapped a long, lanky arm around it's back in one swift movement. Letting out an annoyed grunt, she turned and pulled at the door's handle once more, a chuckle resonating from the boy behind her.

"I wouldn't bother Blondie, it's locked tight."

"Did I ask you?" she growled back, banging an open palm against the wood in annoyance. She let out another long sigh, the gazing look of a pair of wicked blue eyes going unnoticed. Whirling around, she needed somewhere to aim her anger and this punk was better than nothing. "And don't call me Blondie."

"Okay then," the boy stood, taller than the cheerleader expected her to be. "Let's make this official then."

"What?" Peyton barked back, looking down at the hand he had outstretched to her. Bony fingers that stretched out for days displayed signs of wearing. A thin layer of leather wrapped around his wrist as if holding it together. Of course the blonde knew this to be untrue, it was merely a fashion statement. Looking up, she now noticed the t-shirt that adorned his body, slightly covered by the opened short-sleeved collared shirt that he had carelessly thrown on over it. There, protruding between the fabric over-throw was three words Peyton didn't expect to see.

_Jimmy Eat World._

Pulling her eyes away from the shirt, she glanced up at the boy and raised her eyebrows, questioning his move. He merely took her refusal as a signal to keep trying, his lips never losing the silly grin that was plastered all over them.

"Chris," he replied simply, smiling as he raised he pushed his hand a little further to meet her. "And you are?"

"None of your damn business," Peyton chided him, anger flickering in her eyes. Chris only chuckled at her outburst of contempt and stood, striding slowly toward her. He raised his brow innocently when he was but a few inches away, making a show of trailing her body with his eyes. A heated flush fell over the blonde's flesh, her eyes a striking shade of green as she glared at him. He stared into them, licking his lips as he always did when he found something so utterly fascinating.

"Are all the girls this _feisty_ at your school?"

"Are all the boys this _arrogant _at yours?"

Smiling, he stepped closer still, Peyton looking down at their feet as he drew near. Glancing back up at him, she questioned what he was doing by holding her hands outwards, thumbs pointing towards the sky. He shrugged, clearly satisfied with their close proximity.

"Touche Blondie."

Leaning in, Chris smiled as Peyton glared at him, the smell of vanilla suddenly encompassing his senses. Her chest rose and fell with each angered breath, but she didn't move, instead deciding to meet him head on to see what he was made of. It was in this moment he realized he wasn't dealing with just anyone. That there probably wasn't another girl in this new school of his that could match the feisty nature of the curly-haired angel before him.

_She was intriguing. Of that he was certain._

"Little close, aren't you?"

Turning at the sudden intrusion, Chris stepped back from the furious expression that currently encompassed the cerulean eyes of Nathan Scott and those surrounding him. Stepping forward, the basketballer stood behind his girlfriend and glared, his whole body trembling with anger as his hand clutched at her shoulder. Sensing his disdain, the lanky boy took a few cautious steps backwards in retreat.

"Hey now," Chris smiled, holding his hands in the air as if surrendering. "The Keller didn't mean any harm. Merely introducing himself."

"The Keller?" came another shrill voice, a bouncy brunette joining them with a laugh. Stepping forward, she raised her brow in mock amusement."Did you seriously just refer to yourself in the third person?" Sidling up to her friend, the brunette stared ahead at the boy before her. "What the hell is he doing talking to you, P. Sawyer?"

"Who cares," Nathan growled, his eyes displaying the fury that coursed through his veins. "_The Keller_ is about to get his ass kicked."

"I doubt that very much," a stern voice stated, Lucas interrupting the showdown to stand beside his friend. "Unless of course you wanna try and take me down too, Nathan."

"Anytime, anyplace," the raven-haired star retaliated, stepping forward and pushing the blonde brooder in the chest. "Brother."

He spat the word out like it was poison on his tongue. It was enough to cause a heated reaction, Lucas immediately placing his hands on the basketballer and pushing back. Stumbling a little, Nathan pounced forward and struck, closed fist connecting with the hard bone protruding from his brother's cheek.

_**Thwack.**_

Jerking to the right, Lucas' face exploded in heated pain. Staggering backward, he pulled a shaking hand to his face in shock. The confusion that littered across his eyes lasted less than a minute. Blue eyes glared in contempt and disgust. Growling, he stood and charged for his brother, wrapping toned arms around his torso and pulling him to the ground. Shoulder blades crashed against the hard flooring with a deafening _**thud**_.

"Lucas!" came a shocked cry from behind, Rachel gasping out in surprise. Yelps of concern from those around them fell on deaf ears as the brothers rolled about on the lightly stained hardwood floor. With the raising of his right fist, Lucas came down on Nathan's face with a crunching blow. Thick, rouge liquid spewed from chapped lips on impact. Hands flew out in all directions. Landing on arms, shirts and belts, it took many to drag the pair off of one-another. Pulling Nathan backwards, Tim pushed his captain away from the blonde disaster he was trying to annihilate and growled at him to stop. He watched as Lucas was pulled in the opposite direction, delicate hands capturing his face in urgency and demanding that he cease the madness.

"For god's sake Lucas, not now!"

Honey-colored hair hung loosely over her shoulders as Lucas removed his eyes from Nathan's glare and landed on her. Breathless, he muttered a response.

"He started it, Hales."

"I don't care," she roared defiantly, turning to give Nathan her own venomous look if distaste. "You finish it."

"Fine," the brooder growled, turning to look at the faces of those gathered around Nathan. Scuffed Nike's squealed across the wood in pain. Inflamed blue-eyes stared at an identical pair in a quiet resolve. Stepping forward, Lucas nodded at his brother in contempt.

"This isn't over, Nathan." Voice low and menacing like the growl of predator. "Not by a long shot."

"You bet it isn't, Luke," came the angry reply, heavy breaths expelling from thick lips.

"See you in school baby bro."

"See you in _my_ school, Luke-_ass_!"

Lucas stepped towards him, eyes fierce and full of loathing. A delicate hand quickly interceded, a look from Haley all but ending the blonde's advancement as a glance of mutual understanding was exchanged between the two. Seizing the opportunity, Peyton turned and tugged at Nathan's sweater, the charcoal fabric soft to the touch. Pulling Nathan forward, the scowling younger Scott moved away from the scene hesitantly, throwing one last look in his brother's direction. Out in the fresh night air, he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and pulled her close, the rest of the gang from Tree Hill High following closely behind.

"Well this is a great start." Soft orbs fell on the brooding blonde as eye contact was established. Wavy tendrils shook loosely from side-to-side as Haley stamped her lack of approval regarding the scene that had played out before them. Moving in from the rear, lanky arms pulled her close and rested a chin atop her head. Sighing, Chris looked at Lucas with eyes of regret.

"I'm so sorry man, if I'd known-"

"You did know," Lucas barked back, anger infusing every syllable. "I remember clearly stating to you that was Peyton Sawyer. She's a bitch. _Stay away!_"

"I know man," Chris stammered, baby blues already pleading with his angered friend. "But she was there, and I was there, and we were locked out..."

"And you're Chris Keller," Rachel replied, bored with the situation. Perfectly manicured hands snaked through the armhole of Lucas' rested hands and pulled him close, whispering in his ear. "Come on baby, it's not all that bad."

"Really?" Enthusiasm coated the words, Chris stepping forward and dragging Haley with him. "Did the meeting turn out well after all?"

"Oh yeah, great!" Malice followed the exclamation. Brooding eyes disappeared behind closed eyelids for a nanosecond, reappearing to take in the sight before them. "We'll be matriculating with these guppies starting Monday."

All eyes followed his gaze, watching as the school's supposed elite marched out to the parking lot like a cliché from a movie. They dispersed to their respective cars, laughter filling the night air. Walking up to his girl, Nathan planted a kiss on Peyton's lips and retreated, the blonde waiting until all cars had dispersed from the parking lot. Leaning against the car, she cut a lone figure that only drew Chris' eyes towards her.

"Forget it," Lucas repeated, pulling Rachel's hands into his own and stepping forward. He cast Chris a serious look. "It's gonna be hard enough come Monday without you getting yourself into a world of pain with that one. She's a mess if I ever saw one."

Turning to look at her, Chris knew Lucas had a point. She was already taken, by the school's head jock no less. She was completely off limits and by all accounts, not interested. And yet, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. Like there was perhaps more boiling beneath the surface when it came to this little enigma before him.

As if she could read his thoughts, she turned her head in their direction. Her hazel orbs landed on his and glowered. Rolling her eyes she turned away, yanked open the door of her car and slid within, the music blaring as the engine roared to life. Tires screeched in pain as she reversed and hit the accelerator, speeding off through the car park with wild abandon.

Lucas was right. Watching her speed away into the darkening streets, it was abundantly clear that Peyton Sawyer was a definitely in a league of her own. Chris conceded the fact. The girl was a mess.

_However, she was probably the most beautiful mess he'd ever seen._

**~x-X-x~**

**Hello everyone! Thank you to everyone who left a review on the first chapter. It really means the world to me to know that so many people liked it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of the confrontation between the brothers, the pairings so far and maybe even what you would like to see in the future? **

**Hit review guys and let me know! Your words help guide my writing more than you know!**

**Chrissy**

**xox**


	3. Strange & Beautiful

**A Beautiful Mess**

**~x-X-x~**

"_I've been watching your world from afar,  
I've been trying to be where you are,  
And I've been secretly falling apart,  
I'll see.  
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,  
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,  
You turn every head but you don't see me."_

_**Aqualung – Strange and Beautiful**_

**~x-X-x~**

**Chapter 3: Strange & Beautiful**

"_I come from the desert  
Where sun's the only hazard  
And I spent my days a-wondering why  
Nothing seems to matter..."_

Melodious tunes floated through the crisp air of the morning air. Squatting beneath the elm tree that graced the front entrance to Tree Hill High School, Chris Keller did the only thing he knew how when thrown into the unfamiliar. With husky genius, he belted out an original, the sun's glowing rays shining down on him with the warmth of heaven. His voice was like magic, soothing for the soul. It was here the playboy musician was in his element. Stripped to the bone with a guitar in his hands, it was like he had found meaning in his life. He had spent the entire weekend listening to his best friend's discuss the outcome of this very day, agonizing over every detail.

_Were they going to fit in?_

_Was there going to be enough extra-curricular to support all of them?_

_How were they going to handle it?_

Sitting beside Lucas and Haley, Chris could understand their nervousness. Lucas Scott had to deal with not only a brother and father whom he barely knew from a bar of soap, but also the fact that said family members had made it more than painfully obvious they would rather his mother had gone to the clinic than brought him into the world. There was also the nagging issue of Lucas being the basketball star at his old school only to be now pitted against his equally talented brother in their new digs. _Who would be captain? What team members would he have to say goodbye to?_ And then there was Haley, bookworm right down to her bones. She came from a large family who barely knew she existed half the time simply because she was so good at taking care of herself. She wanted nothing more than to be out of the rink-dink town known as Tree Hill and to do it she need money and a scholarship to a fancy, prestigious college. These things could only be achieved with an abundance of extra-curricular activities. So they had sat down in the tiny yet popular cafe owned by Lucas' mother Karen and discussed their options and what they were going to do on the first day. Namely, stay together and have one-another's backs.

Yet it was hard for Chris to get into the same mindset as his friends. He didn't feel as threatened as they did about this whole school merger fiasco. He didn't play any sports that made him stand out at his previous school so he wasn't scared of losing his spot on any team he'd worked years for to obtain. He didn't long for the academic glory that his good friend Haley craved, so changing teachers and losing classes mattered very little. Hell, he didn't even have a popular girlfriend to fall back on like Lucas did with his current honey Rachel Gattina, the head cheerleader at their previous school. Although the blue-eyed wonder did have a reputation for bedding a large majority of the senior class female populations over the years, that was something he couldn't deny. He liked the sex, just not much of a commitment kind of guy. _Perennial Playboy_ as Haley liked to call him.

None of this mattered much to Chris though. His friends were his friends because they understood him, not because they were like him. He had yet to meet anyone on the planet who was much like him, in fact. He simply had his guitar and his music and the rest of his world fell into place. So as he sat there on that fine Monday morning, watching as student cars began to fill the parking lot in anticipation, he was happy to bust out the lyrics to his latest song to calm the non-existent butterflies in his stomach.

_Truth be told, he just liked the sound of his own voice. It was undeniably good._

But not as good as Jack's Mannequin it would seem. Drowning out his voice, a song began to wail in the distance, overpowering the would-be rock star.

"_**I'll wait, I'll wait**_

_**For the ambulance to come (ambulance to come)**_

_**Pick us up off the floor**_

_**What did you possibly expect under this condition so**_

_**Slow down, this night's a perfect shade of..."**_

It was like an ominous sound that the charming musician had become accustomed to. Like the trumpets that announced the arrival of a royal. Bounding into the school parking lot, the unmistakable vision of bouncing blonde curls blew in the breeze as Peyton Sawyer zoomed into the student car spaces. Music blaring, the beat pumped through the ground, eliciting vibrations with the sheer intensity of the volume. The drop-top shuddered as she brought her car into the space right before Chris and hit the brakes. _Eeeeech. __**Zmmmp**_._ Puh_. Thick fingers ceased strumming, watching as the curly-haired goddess cut the engine and silenced the parking lot. With a quick flick of the wrist, she pushed the driver's door open and dangled her pin-thin legs to the asphalt below. In the most graceful of movements, she brought herself to her feet and came into Chris' full view.

No wonder she came into the school announcing her arrival. _One look at her and you knew she was Tree Hill royalty!_

Taking in the image before him, thick eyebrows raised in confused admiration. Trailing up her long legs and landing on her perfect ass, Chris couldn't help the smile of satisfaction that came to his lips. Royal blue and gold clung to her body in the most seductive of ways, the uniform material simply made for a body like hers. As she leaned over the side of her car to dig something out of the backseat, the musician found himself tilting his head just to get a better look. He'd never in his life been so captured by a creature before, and the fact that this punk-rock princess had just turned up to school in a cheerleading uniform merely peaked his interest in her. How could someone who scowls more than the average human being, likes _Jimmy Eat World_, and drives an old-school car possibly be a cheerleader?

_This girl was something else._

Pulling the satchel into her hand, Peyton pulled her golden mane to side and slid her bag over her right shoulder. Basking in the morning rays, she could feel the warmth of the sun heating her body. Closing her eyes, Chris watched as she appeared to whisper something, almost as if instructing herself. Pulling his guitar back to his aching fingertips, he began to strum again, smiling as her startled hazel eyes landed on him.

"So the boy went to the city

Of the smarter and the faster

Where you can date opportunity but it takes cash to undress her..."

Raising her eyebrows at the lyrics, Peyton scowled as she made her way onto to luscious grass below. _Thmp. __**Thmp**__. Thmp. __**Thmp**_. Determined steps pushed forward, the cheerleader wanting nothing more than to get on with the gruesome day ahead. Alas, the singing student before her had other ideas, Chris calling out as she stormed past him.

"Oh come on now Blondie, not even a hello for your friendly peer?"

Coming to a halt, Peyton let out a breath of annoyance. She could feel his eyes on her, even though she had her back to him. Whirling around on the spot, her eyes narrowed in on the lanky boy with a look that could only be described as venomous. _And that was a nice way of putting it_. Relaying a disinterested demeanor, she raised one solitary eyebrow before turning around and walking in the opposite direction once more. She didn't even get three steps away before his familiar, annoying voice hit her ears once more.

"Are you always this rude?"

She could hear his footsteps jogging up behind her, silently cursing her decision to leave her bed this morning. Her father was never home anyway, always away on fishing trips that meant the feisty blonde could have spent as many days at home as she desired. But the fact was that since her mother had died, the house felt too empty to sit in all on her own. At least at school she could shut out the pain that the rest of the world seemed to inflict on her, and she could be around people who actually gave a damn whether she lived and breathed. So in spite of the fact that she was now beyond annoyed to be standing face-to-face with a new kid that couldn't quite take a hint, she knew the alternative would have been infinitely more annoying and lonesome.

"Get out of my way," Peyton sighed unhappily, shifting her gym bag as she stood firm.

"So I'll take that as a yes," Chris replied, his mouth curling up into an enormous grin that threatened to take over his entire face. "But that's cool, I like a fierce kinda girl."

"Seriously," Peyton replied, letting out a long, deep sigh as he stepped closer to her and grinned. "I know your last school had some decent teachers, so you can't be that stupid as to not be able to take a hint."

"See, I'm not buying it," Chris pushed, stepping to the right as Peyton tried to get past him. "You come off as all bitchy and strong, but I bet underneath all of that is a real charming lady who is about as brittle as they come."

"You don't know anything about me," the blonde replied angrily, pulling her bag in front of her as if to use it as a shield. "So why the hell can you not just take a hint and leave me the alone?"

"No one gets you, do they?" His question hit her off guard, Peyton at a loss for words as Chris smiled down at her. She swallowed hard, her hazel orbs never leaving his crystal blues, as if hypnotized in position."I'd like to."

Soft lips began to open in reply, but were soon thwarted shut again by a booming voice that drenched them both in hostility.

"Step off, Loser."

Turning towards the booming voice behind him, Chris' eyes fell and raised his hands in the air as Nathan Scott stepped towards him. His nostrils flared in anger, sapphire orbs stinging him with their beams of hatred. Chris knew that Nathan could destroy him, the toned muscles and overbearing demeanor making that fact more than painfully obvious.

"Are you _seriously_ trying to hit on _my_ girlfriend?"

"Oh come on now," Chris laughed nervously, reaching out and hitting Nathan's arm gently as if they were all friends. It was perhaps the second stupidest thing he'd done all day- the first having been trying again with Peyton in spite of numerous warnings not to do so. "Just trying to make some new friends, you know, new school and all."

Nathan looked over at his friends and they laughed, a small crowd gathering around to see what all the fuss was about. Feeling a lump gather in his throat, Chris threw a nervous look in Peyton's direction, the curly-haired blonde softening a little at the sight of his fear.

_He knew there was something else beneath that tough exterior._

"You are kidding, aren't you?" Nathan chuckled, looking over at his girlfriend whose face was still wearing a look of annoyance when she felt his stare. "Peyton Sawyer is _my_ girlfriend. _Mine_." Stepping forward, Nathan shoved Chris in the chest, the musician stumbling backwards as his guitar swung around his neck. A few chuckles resonated through the growing crowd, mixed with the shocked gasps of the people who feared what was to come for the wayward musician. It was fascinating yet painful as they watched this boy get on the wrong side of the king of the school.

"Can't we all just be friends?" Chris asked, trying to remain calm and casual. Truth be told, he was the first boy to ever appear unfazed by Nathan's dominance and continue trying to amend the situation, a fact that got under the jock's skin. No one stood up to Nathan Scott. They simply accepted that whatever the basketball hero demanded- happened. But this pesky, lanky little nobody just wasn't getting the hint. Feeling everyone's eyes on him- expecting something more- Nathan growled and pushed Chris again, this time the guitarist falling to the ground with a _thud_.

"Come on Nathan, that's enough," Peyton exclaimed, reaching out and taking the arm of her angered boyfriend. "Do you always have to act like this?"

Reeling from her words, Nathan shook himself out of her hold and glared at his girlfriend like she had just slapped him in the face. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the worried voice of a girl.

"Chris?"

Eyes turned to watch the honey-blonde newcomer race across the grass towards her friend, eyes alive with concern. Nathan remembered her from the other night, the way she stood up to him, unafraid.

"Don't worry sweet-cheeks," Nathan replied as the girl neared them, reaching down to get a grip of her friend that lay sprawled on the lawn. "Chris was just getting to know the law of the land."

"Law of the land," came the disbelieving reply. "You think you're the law around here? You do realize that you're a high school kid and nobody in the real world?"

"Haley..." pleaded Chris, pulling his fiery friend backwards and out of the glare of the surrounding students. "Leave it."

Nathan turned to Peyton, raising his hand in the air as if the question her on who this girl was. She smiled a little and shrugged, clearly impressed with what she saw. Nathan stepped toward the pair, ready to unleash another round of dominant fury but out of the corner of his eye he saw the face of someone infinitely more annoying. Lucas charged across the grass at the sight of his two surrounded friends, reaching reaching out and pulling them behind him as he dropped his bag to the ground. Glaring at Nathan, the brooding blonde scowled at his sibling with disdain.

"Really? We're gonna start the school year like this?"

"No," Nathan replied angrily, stepping forward and shoving his brother in the chest. "We're gonna start it like this." He smirked as Lucas stumbled back, Chris catching his friend before her fell too far. "Get out of my face little brother and tell your little punk friend to stay the hell away from _my_ girlfriend before I destroy him!"

Lucas stepped forward but suddenly stopped, Nathan instantly flanked by the members of the basketball team that were dedicated and loyal to their popular captain. It was a fight he wasn't going to win and he knew it. Changing his mind, Lucas glared at his older brother instead, the raven-haired Scott nodding his head in agreement as he registered Lucas' withdrawal.

"Good man. That was the smartest decision you've made all day."

Reaching down, Nathan picked up his backpack and swung it over his shoulder. A broad, beaming smile revealing his large, perfectly white teeth. For the captain and leader of the school, it was a good start to the day.

"Do yourself a favor losers, and stay out of our way. We do things a little differently on the better side of the river."

Laughter erupted around them as everyone began to disperse, basketballers raising their hands in the air to high-five their captain. Soon the three of them remained, Haley and Lucas looking at Chris with eyes of disbelief. The musician knew he had messed up, opening his mouth numerous times to try and explain but finding he could give them nothing but stuttered sounds.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Lucas growled, clearly not at a loss for words. "I told you not to mess with Nathan. He's bad news, and that girlfriend of his is no better..."

"She's not what you think," Chris countered, unsure why he felt the need to defend someone he barely knew. "I know it."

"And you think you know her?" Lucas spat out, unable to fathom why his friend was trying so hard.  
"She's a cheerleader and dating the captain of the basketball team. Do you really think she's someone who makes clever choices?"

"Uh Lucas," Haley replied, reaching out and tapping her friend on the shoulder to gather his attention.

"I mean, what do you think you were doing?" Lucas ranted, oblivious to Haley's voice," That is Peyton Sawyer. She is with Nathan. Doesn't that tell you right there that she isn't the kind of girl we wanna associate with. I mean, her taste alone leaves little to be desired if she's running around with him..."

"Luke," Haley spoke again, her voice a little louder. "Lucas..."

"What?" came the angered reply, the raving basketballer losing his train of thought as his friend's voice filtered in and broke his concentration. Noticing her eyes pointed in another direction, Lucas turned to follow her gaze, shocked to find Peyton still standing there. She folded her arms, an eyebrow raised as she made it more than painfully obvious she had heard every word he said. Lucas closed his mouth as the blonde stepped forward, titling her head to the side as she looked at Chris.

"Are you okay?" came the surprising question, Haley and Lucas both looking at one another in surprise as Chris stepped forward.

"Yeah," came the feeble response, a goofy grin immediately spreading over the musician's lips. "I'm Chris Keller, dominant basketball giants don't scare me."

Peyton chuckled then, a move which surprised the trio once more. They were so used to a sour faced bitch, not someone who could manage civility.

"Whatever you say Muso," she replied casually, turning to face Lucas. "We're not all the same, you know," she watched him, sincerity dripping from her gaze. "I know you have your issues with him, with Nathan-" Lucas nodded, surprised to find Peyton Sawyer even talking to him at all. "But don't discard the rest of us simply because we're in his orbit. People aren't always what they seem."

"PEYTON!"

Turning around at the sound of her boyfriend's booming voice, everyone could see Nathan was not happy. He raised his hands in the air and ushered her forward, the blonde turning to give the three friends one last look.

"Just hang in there."

Turning on her feet, the blonde cheerleader skipped over to the rest of the group, Nathan wrapping his arm around her and sending out a venomous look behind him. As they disappeared into the school building, Chris smiled and looked at Lucas and Haley, the duo rolling their eyes as he grabbed his satchel and slid it over his shoulder.

"See?" Chris smiled happily, jogging to catch up with them as they began to walk towards the school. "she's different."

"She's off limits," Lucas warned, stopping to glare at Chris to ensure he got the message. "Promise us you will stay away from her and not cause anymore trouble."

"Awww, come on Luke-"

"No," Lucas stopped him, his voice dripping with seriousness. "I'm for real, Chris. She is with Nathan and we can't keep stepping in to protect you from his fists."

"And besides," Haley chimed in, reaching out and rubbing Chris' shoulder tenderly. "This transition will be hard enough without causing an even greater divide between all of us. Just lay off for a little while, please?"

"Ugh, fine," Chris grumbled, his shoulders sagging a little as he agreed. "But this sucks, just so you know."

"I know," Lucas sighed, the three of them looking up at the great building that was to be their school from now on. "Don't I know it!"

x~x~X~x~x

Okay, so I'm on a bit of a roll with fic updating! Since I'll be on holidays for the next two weeks I'm hoping I can update a lot more frequently! Anyway guys, you know the drill – hit that review button and tell me what you think! Your words are always helpful and mean the world!

** The song Chris Keller sings I this chapter is called _Sunset Blvd_ by Tyler Hilton. **

God bless,

Chrissy

xox


	4. New Law of the Land

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

_The skeleton frame, how it's holding my memories  
Cause god only knows now, just what's ahead of me  
Cause everything's been taken from me now, I don't believe it  
When everything that you had just sweeps aside  
You rise like the Phoenix to fly _

_**Breaking Point – Pheonix**_

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 4: New Law of the Land**

The day had already begun in disaster. Opening the cold metal of her locker door, Peyton searched the inside of the tiny space for the one thing that could release her from it all. Stacked neatly on top of a pile of uninteresting books lay her prized possession, the latest ipod staring back at her like a beacon of hope. No matter where she was in the world or how she was feeling, nothing helped the sarcastic blonde more than a decent track. Music was her lifeline, something she had shared with her mother.

Or so she had been told. _She was finding it more and more difficult to remember her these days._

Letting out a long, deep sigh, hazel orbs shifted to the right to see the photos that plastered the door of her locker. Her gaze danced over them just as they always did, the cheerleader wishing they could shoot some inspirational feeling her way. It was the first day back at school and already she didn't want to be there. It wasn't solely because of the run-in Nathan had with the weird musician, but also the way her wayward boyfriend had made her feel over the break. Barely enough time to spend with her, Nathan was more interested in basketball, video games and hanging with the boys. When he did afford her time to send together, it was usually for sex or to complain once more about the pressure his father kept placing on him now Lucas would be joining them at school. Every time Peyton tried to get her boyfriend to open up about his feelings regarding his brother, he automatically shut her down and spewed something about her trying to compensate his familial problems due to her lack of family.

_Ass._

"So, is it true?"

Whirling around to the sound of a familiar voice that broke through her train of thought, Peyton smiled when she saw the gorgeous bouncing figure of her best friend, Brooke Davis. It was good to see her, chocolate locks falling loosely over enviable shoulders as lustful eyes gazed at her from every direction. They were a complex pair, both popular due to monetary triumphs of their parents yet almost polar opposites. Where Peyton was quiet, reserved and anti-social, Brooke was loud, boisterous and the school's social butterfly. She enjoyed parties, boys and more importantly, money. Peyton preferred her world of art, music and creativity. But in spite of their enormous differences, she really was the greatest friend Peyton had ever known. It was Brooke who had been by her side since the age of six when the pair met in pre-school. She had held her hand on that very first frightening day, and in the decade that had followed since, she had never once let go. Through dead mothers, absent fathers and challenging jerk boyfriends, the two girls had created a bond so strong it was rare to see either without the other. In spite of what people said about her- _shallow, slutty and bitchy_- underneath it all, Peyton knew Brooke carried a heart of gold.

_Just like Brooke knew Peyton was simply a lost soul trying to make it in the world._

"Is what true?" Peyton questioned, taking one last look at a photo of her and Nathan stuck to the locker door. She slammed the metal shut, leaning against it to face an inquisitive pair of emerald eyes.

"Did Nathan really beat up on that hot brother of his again?"

Peyton raised a solitary eyebrow at the adjective Brooke had chosen to use regarding Nathan's brother Lucas. She smiled a little, seeing Brooke's mind whirling at a million miles an hour. Peyton swore if the world could harness the exuberance that resided within Brooke's genes there would be no need for coffee in the world.

"_Hot _brother?"

"What?" Brooke smiled cheekily, nudging her best friend in the shoulder as she giggled. "As if you've never noticed how ridiculously good looking Dan Scott's spawn are." Reaching out with a delicate finger, the brunette beauty slid her luscious locks behind her ear as she leaned against the locker next to her friend. "It's just like illegal to admit that Nathan's brother has a hot factor when our lovely basketball captain is around, you know?"

Peyton nodded her head at the comment, knowing that deep down Brooke was referring to the non-existent familial love between the Scott boys. It was no secret that they hated each other, and all eyes were on the duo when the school day had begun. Already they were at each others throats and, much to Peyton's dismay, she was a part of it. She didn't know why it bothered her so much. Perhaps Nathan was right. _Maybe she was substituting his family problems because she had no family?_ Noticing her friend's downtrodden expression, Brooke leaned closer and wrapped a caring arm around her.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?"

Peyton sighed, knowing that Brooke would not rest until she had the complete story. Licking her lips, she spun around so that her shoulder was leaning against the cold metal beside them. Everyone knew when these two girls were face to face and knee deep in secret conversations, you didn't disturb them.

"Nathan got a little heated because one of the new kids was getting a little too close for his liking."

"To you?" Brooke's emerald orbs widened in excitement, her lower lip consumed with eager teeth. Mmm-puh. Slowly she released it and shuffled a little, the enthusiasm radiating off of her. "Oh my gosh, was he cute?"

"He was..." Peyton began, unsure what to say. "... annoying."

Slightly put off at her friend's choice of words, Brooke slumped backwards a little and pouted slightly. "Hmpf. Well that isn't very exciting."

"Why do you even care?" Peyton teased, raising her eyebrows in a baiting manner. "All these boys should mean nothing to you considering you are currently dating Felix Taggaro."

"You know I called him last night," Brooke replied, her tone instantly changing from happy to annoyed. "Butt-face didn't answer, _again_. Seriously, remind me again why I put up with this shit?"

"You love him?" Peyton offered, knowing it probably wasn't the answer Brooke was searching for. The brunette vixen proved her right within a matter of seconds, scrunching up her face in disgust and shaking her head so that her chocolate locks swayed back and forth across her shoulders.

"Eeew, no!" came the adamant reply, tiny hands reaching out and slightly pushing her friend backwards. "Don't be disgusting. You know my stance on boy-girl relationships. Boy in girl's bed is fine, boy in girl's heart? Not so much."

Peyton gave look her usual worried expression whenever Brooke made her anti-real relationship speech. She worried that all this time Brooke spent giving into her fear of commitment was going to make her end up alone. The thought of that happening to her best friend was horrible. Brooke had such an amazing heart and Peyton hoped and prayed that some day someone could come along and melt the ice caps off of it... just a little.

"Brooke," the blonde cheerleader began but stopped, the sight of a bumbling Bevin catching her eye. Brooke followed her gaze and turned around just in time to have her airy friend ram into her, arms reaching out to grab hold of the panicked girl.

"_Oh em gee_, you guys have to come." Bevin stopped and took a deep breath, clearly having run quite a distance to find her friends. "There's some sort of meeting called in the gym- and it involves the basketball team and us."

Confused orbs danced around each other as the trio made their way down the hall and headed for the gym, familiar jocks and cheerleaders following one-another in the same direction. The gym was buzzing when they arrived, Peyton looking over to see Nathan with a scowl on his face. Without hesitation, she followed the direction of his glare and finding it aimed at his older brother, who apparently, had also been summoned. Before she had a chance to walk over, a familiar disgruntled cough filled the gym, all eyes turning to see Coach Whitey Durham ready and waiting.

"You're probably all wondering why I've summoned you this morning," he begain, gruff voice fluctuating with his southern accent. "So I won't keep you waiting. As you all know, as of today Tree Hill High has opened up its doors to new students. With new students come new talent, and inevitably this has a serious effect on our sporting and cheerleading teams."

Whispers and concerned murmurs started up like wildfire, rippling through the group of students much to the Coach's dismay. He cleared his throat once more, everyone quietening down almost immediately. It was well-known that when it came to Coach Durham, _affectionately known by all as Whitey,_ you did what you were told – no questions asked.

"When you're quite finished." he glared down at Tim Smith, Nathan shoving his sidekick hard in the arm to get him to stop. Tim shot Whitey an sheepish apologetic look, the coach returning his eyes back to the entire crowd to continue his announcement. "So this is how it'll work. Players will be selected based on their previous season's stats. Considering both schools were neck-and-neck in the divisions they were placed in, Nathan Scott will be captain," Nathan's face shone with pride, turning to wink at his friends as they grunted and patted him on the back. "And Lucas Scott will _also_ be captain."

"What?" Nathan declared, sending an angered look in Whitey's direction. "You can't be serious!"

Eyes shot in Lucas' direction, his own teammates smiling and patting their old captain's back much like Nathan's team had done. The two brothers stared at one-another with contempt, Peyton biting her lip nervously. _How was this even going to work when they hated each other?_

"Furthermore," Whitey continued, looking over at the gaggle of cheerleaders that flanked the basketballers. "Cheerleaders will be merged based on selections. Since Brooke Davis and Rachel Gatina were captains respectively in their schools, the two of them will also co-captain the squad."

Brooke's hand shot out and grabbed Peyton's arm in panic, her tight grip causing the blonde to wince a little from the pain. She reached out and grabbed a hold of her hand, prying her cheery friend off of her wrist and holding it. Anger spread throughout the assembled teens, the energy bouncing off the walls of the gymnasium. Brooke and Rachel stared each other down, murmurs and growls traversing throughout the affected students.

"Anyone who doesn't like it," Whitey announced, his booming voice cutting off any chance the teens had of arguing with one-another. "Can make their way over to that door right there and there'll be no hard feelings." A chubby hand shook slightly as it pointed towards the exit, everyone understanding his full meaning. Not wanting to risk their spot on the team, the students remained quiet and simply glared at each other through angered eyes.

"Welcome back."

Standing down from his position, Whitey and his assistant coach made their way out of the gymnasium leaving everyone to deal with the announcement they had made. Peyton could tell just by being within fifteen feet of him that Nathan was fuming, his chest rising and falling with every labored, angered breath. Walking over to her boyfriend, she glanced to her right and saw Lucas making his way over to the bleachers, followed closely behind by Brooke's latest rival Rachel, and the two friends she had seen him with earlier that morning.

"Hey," the blonde spoke soothingly, a hand reaching out and wrapping around her boyfriend's toned arm. "It'll be okay."

"Co-captain?" he spat out, venom lacing every syllable. "What the fuck? Whitey has lost his damn mind thinking that bastard brother of mine can captain this team with me. I'd run circle around that loser. My father's right, the old bastard should have retired back in the dark ages when he was still useful."

"Nate," Peyton tried again, annoyed that his jock friends were supporting his tirade with sniggers of appreciation. "Why don't you just try to get along."

Cerulean eyes shifted down towards the blonde, Nathan shaking his head at her suggestion. "Maybe you've lost your mind too? Correct me if I'm wrong Peyton, but you're supposed to be on my side."

"We're all on the same side now," the music loving girl replied, trying to make her boyfriend see reason. "Can't you just try and..."

"P. SAWYERRRRRR!"

Brooke's voice broke out across the entire gymnasium, every single pair of eyes turning to look at the gorgeously frazzle brunette beauty. She held her hand out and made grabbing movements with it, beckoning her friend to come to her. Peyton sighed and turned to look at Nathan, her boyfriend already having turned to grumble with his friends some more. Throwing her hands in the air and rolling her eyes, Peyton turned and walked over towards her best friend, a sideways glance towards Lucas and his friends before they made their way out of the gym, arm in arm.

"She doesn't get it," Nathan growled, Felix and Jake flanking him as the raven-haired leader began to speak. "She thinks we can all be happy friends and families when they have come in here and taken everything from us."

"This isn't some sort of war, Nate," Jake scoffed a little, usually one to sail through life with as little drama as possible. "It's not like we've been invaded and the law has changed."

"But it has," Nathan replied angrily, watching Jake with a scowl as he reached down and grabbed his gym bag. "What will you think when one of those dicks takes your spot?"

"I'd think they'd earned it," came the casual reply, Felix standing beside Nathan and shaking his head at Jake's answer. "It's all based on stats and if mine aren't good enough then I've really only got myself to blame."

"How about you go and change your tampon now, Jagielski," Felix muttered, the boys behind him sniggering as he taunted his team mate. "Seriously, you're sounding more and more like a girl with each passing day."

Jake smiled at Felix's retort, shrugging his shoulders as he placed his bag over one of them. "And if you add much more gel to that hair of yours Taggaro, you'll look like one." Jake turned and made his way back out of the gym, leaving behind his angered team mates who wanted nothing but to make this whole matter simply go away. Turning his eyes once again to look in the direction of his brother, Nathan watched as Haley jumped up and wrapped her arms around him, Chris standing to his feet and patting his friend on the back. They were an odd bunch and Nathan couldn't tell how they had all managed to be friends, but somehow he knew that the only way to beat an enemy is to take away their support system – and leave them all alone.

"This isn't over," he declared, Felix looking over to where his captain was gazing, a cocky smile filtering across his lips as he realized a plan was in action. "I'm not gonna let that douchebag run my team, and I'm certainly not going to let any of his pathetic little players take our guys' spots."

"So what's the plan then, boss?" Felix asked, evil grin encompassing his face. "Public humiliation? Ass-kicking?"

"No," Nathan replied, shooting Felix a serious look. "Nothing that can get us kicked off the team." He tilted his head to the side, watching as Rachel wrapped her arms around Lucas and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. His eyes trailed up and down her long, pencil thin legs, landing firmly on her ass. "No," he stated again, a small smile coming to his lips. "We'll just make his life so hard that by the time we're done with him... he'll be begging to quit."

Felix chuckled evilly and nodded his head, Nathan throwing Lucas a daring gaze as he made his way out of the gym, the double doors banging behind them and echoing throughout the now silent gymnasium.

_Game on._

**x~X~x**

Okay, so I'm back again. I feel somewhat inspired to stick with my OTH fics so for the time being I will be focusing solely on them. Please review and let me know what you think!

Chrissy

xox


	5. Cha Cha Cha Changes

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

_Wait there  
Pull yourself out of this state dear  
Acknowledge you were a fake here  
From there on you might just grow _

_**Matt Corby - Brother**_

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 5: Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes**

Perfectly manicured nails drummed on hardened white laminate, nervous beats of an uneven rhythm dancing along the cafeteria table top as the crowded school lunch room came alive with the collective buzz of the school's latest gossip. Whispered voices trailed in and out of seated cliques, deviant glances fluttering around the heavily stocked lunch room in an attempt to find answers for the hot topic of conversation, waiting with baited breath to see if the rumors really were true.

_Nathan had lost the captaincy to his illegitimate, bastard brother?_

_Brooke Davis no longer the social queen of Tree Hill?_

_This was a recipe for disaster!_

Peyton sunk into her chair a little further, her mind distracted from the morning's events to even consider caring about how the social hierarchy of Tree Hill High was going to survive the merger. She glanced across the cafeteria to see Nathan in full-flight, the raven-haired leader leaning against the lunch chair as he spoke to his team. Their eyes remained glued to him, listening to every syllable like it was gospel. She could imagine all the things he was preaching at that point in time. The way his eyes lit up as he spoke gave him away. His hatred for his brother was now further fueled by the sheer fact that he had to co-captain a team he had basically ran since he could walk. It was like a commandment in stone – Nathan Scott was going to be the next great player of Tree Hill, just like his father, Dan Scott. To know now that he had to share the running of his team was like a slap in the face. It was hard enough seeing the sympathetic looks from his peers as the news spread- it would be torture watching his father's face when he heard the news.

_It was this encounter that his girlfriend feared the most._

Looking down at the sketchpad before her, Peyton chose to block out the voices around her with the help of crisp white paper and a decent pencil. Beside her, Bevin talked animatedly with the rest of the cheer squad, the young girls' voices tumbling over each other at an unforgiving speed.

"_I am so not giving up my spot on the squad for some lowlife from the east side of the river! Eeew."_

"_What if they can't even do the pyramid? Then how will our record be kept in tact?"_

"_Poor Nathan. I bet Lucas isn't even half the player he is!"_

"_Yeah, but he is kinda hot!"_

"_Eew, no way Theresa! He's from the wrong side of river – he even plays on that rundown court with his posse of losers and I heard that best friend of his is like, a total man-whore!"_

"_Whatever Melissa. You're one to talk about whores..."_

In a loud, swift movement the cafeteria doors swung open, silencing the mind-numbing chatter that was giving the blonde a headache. Instantaneously, all eyes turned up to see brunette perfection with legs for days entering the cafeteria. Hushed excitement spread like wildfire as Brooke Davis strode down towards her usual table. Wine red Jimmy Choo wedges floated faultlessly down the linoleum flooring, their steady tempo whipping the hearts of the love-sick eyes that followed their every move. Dark denim jeans clung to the velvety smooth figure of the school's head girl, the latest Gucci bag thumping into a plastic chair as she reached her table, settling in for the lunch hour. Green orbs flashed with annoyance as Brooke let out a long, deep breath, every pair of eyes trained on her.

"So Whitey won't budge," she replied, voice low and drenched in venom. "I have to co-captain _my_ squad." The girls said nothing, waiting instead for some sort of signal from their fearless leader. Brooke glanced over at her blonde bff and frowned, delicate hands reaching out and shooing away the rest of her squad. The cheerleaders stood and strutted down corridor to the second table amidst cheers of enthusiasm and approval. The captain rolled her emerald eyes and turned back to her blonde friend, Peyton having started scrawling on a blank piece of paper the way she always did when lost in her thoughts.

"P. Sawyer," Brooke insisted, reaching out and placing a delicate hand over the scribbled paper. "Attention, please? Our squad is about to be overrun with the likes of hood-rats and hobos so a little of your time would be nice, you know?"

Peyton raised her eyebrows, apologetic in her stare. Truth was, whilst she would support Brooke in every way possible, part of her was excited about the merger. She had often wondered how different Nathan's life could be with his brother in it. He had rejected the notion time and time again, but now that Lucas was at his school, how could he possibly ignore him? _He had no choice._ And a happier Nathan could mean... well, a happier everyone.

"I 'm sorry, B" the curly-haired blonde replied, squeezing the brunette's hand in her own ."I know this is tough for you."

"Not just _me,_" Brooke announced, dropping her voice as if every word she spoke was somehow being monitored by the people around her. "All of us! Can you imagine how dysfunctional this team is going to be with new recruits who have never performed together? And honestly, how fair is it that someone loses a spot because _their _school was so lame it had to be shut down?"

"I don't think it happened quite like that," hazel eyes tried to seem optimistic in spite of the inevitable argument that was to ensue. "And there'll be a second team, you know – like in football when they have second string. We're big enough for that now." Peyton knew her reply wouldn't make Brooke feel any better but she gave it a shot anyway. Just like with Nathan, if Brooke was unhappy then plots thickened. As expected, flaxen lashes battered at the reply, blinking the sentence away like it was meaningless.

"Not the point, Peyton." Clearing her throat, the stunning brunette looked ahead at the table full of cheerleaders – her cheerleaders. _Her team. _She didn't want to give them up. She didn't want to give any of it up. Especially not to some wannabe redheaded skank from the wrong side of the river.

_Even if she did have a rather nice looking Prada bag._

"The point is, this is _our_ team and we have worked hard to gain our reputation as the strongest in the county. I'm not going to let some bitch from another school come in and try and take that from us."

As if on cue, the cafeteria fell silent as the doors swung open once more. Burdened with the heaviness of the angered stares that had followed him all morning, Lucas Scott stopped in the entrance way and looked around. Flanking him on all sides were his friends, ready for whatever was waiting for them. To the blonde leader's right, Chris smiled radiantly as he soaked up the attention. His eyes landed on the curly-haired blonde in the corner, goofy grin growing even larger in size as she scowled and looked at her brunette friend beside her. Her look of disdain did nothing to dampen his move, but the fierce look of disapproval from the girl to her right had him looking away within seconds. To the left of Lucas stood a rather impressive-looking redhead and her presence alone had he Tree Hill boys slightly smiling. She was ridiculously beautiful, eyes alive as she snaked her fingers through the boy beside her and gave them a supportive squeeze.

"Come baby," Rachel announced, making sure the entire cafeteria heard her command. "There's a table over there with our name on it!"

Slinking across the linoleum floor, Rachel led Lucas and Chris to the nearest table, every pair of eyes trailing them. Standing to his feet, Nathan folded his arms and glared at his older brother, clearly not happy to see him there. The whole student population was so silent one could have heard a pin drop. Nervous breaths expelled from Peyton's lips as she watched her boyfriend and his illegitimate brother.

"_Please,"_ she begged internally, hazel orbs glancing between the two. _"Please just give it a rest for one day."_

"Sorry, we don't serve bastards in here!"

_Damn it!_

The cafeteria erupted in laughter as Felix Taggaro shouted out his retort, Lucas' cheeks flushing a slight rouge. He knew it wasn't going to be easy but this was getting beyond a joke. The wayward musician lightly shoved him in the side, indicating that he needed to shrug it off. It was always a miracle whenever Chris managed to do the right thing, so Lucas accepted the invitation and sat at his table, chatter beginning up around them once more. Sliding up alongside her boyfriend, Rachel trailed light kisses on his neck as he began to eat his lunch, his younger brother watching with interest from the opposite side of the lunchroom.

"Hmmm," Brooke announced, interest lacing her tone as she pulled the end of a pencil to her mouth. Emerald orbs glanced towards the table of social misfits, one brooding blonde catching the head cheerleader's eye.

"You know, the more I look at the older Scott brother, the more I like what I see."

"Brooke," Peyton warned her friend, knowing exactly what her mischievous look meant. "Don't go there. Too much drama."

"What?" the brunette exclaimed innocently, her eyes never deviating from her target. She was like a carefully-constructed missile- once she engaged her prey there was a slim-to-no chance of them getting out alive. "No harm in looking. Besides, it's hardly _my_ fault when someone places something as _delicious_ as that in front of me... _who wouldn't want a bite?_"

Peyton followed Brooke's gaze and watched the newest topic of conversation, _Lucas Scott._ His eyebrows furrowed slightly at the center, baby blues squinting under the pressure of all the stares that were saturating him. As Peyton watched, the newest co-captain of the Ravens seemed uncomfortable with his new-found notoriety, shifting repeatedly in his seat as those around him happily conversed. The blonde cheerleader could understand why he felt out of sorts. The hate towards him was clearly unfounded and incredibly harsh. She had heard of instances of pushing, shoving, belittling and wet lockers all morning. She felt bad for him – he hadn't done anything to deserve it. Yet that was the way of the social hierarchy at Tree Hill High. Nathan had been king since the moment he walked through the front gates. Anyone who crossed his path – _intentionally or not_ – was always the one worse for wear by the end of it all.

_Nathan Scott always got his way._

Peyton watched as her friend gazed upon the elder Scott brother, her mind clearly working away on her next plot. Blonde ringlets bounced over slim shoulders as Peyton shook her head at Brooke, the brunette too busy to even look at her.

"You know, his girlfriend might have a problem with whatever plan you're currently cooking up."

Brooke's smile faded slightly as Rachel slid her hand up and played with the hair at the back of Lucas' neck, a long breath of dissatisfaction spilling from her cherry-glossed lips. _Mmmm-puh._

"I have no obligation to her."

"And Felix?" The elephant in the room. There mere mention of his name had sparkling green orbs rolling behind delicate eyelids. Felix had fast become known as Nathan's second-in-charge. Rarely was it seen where the Raven's captain was without his trusty sidekick. The heavily-muscled, tanned athlete was both loved and loathed. Dominant, he walked the ground of the school with little to fear. Pearly teeth were often shown beaming as he belittled, and his nonchalant attitude matched with a deadly fist. Brute force came to Peyton's mind whenever the subject of Felix came up.

_He also happened to be the boyfriend of the most sought-after girl in school – **Brooklyn Penelope Davis**._

"Ugh," the brunette vixen groaned, annoyance coating every syllable as flaxen lashes battered north then south in quick succession. "I'm honestly getting sick and tired of him."

The relationship between Brooke and Felix was volatile at best. It was not uncommon to see the two wrapped up in some dramatically emotional argument that ended with passionate kisses or slaps to the face. If Peyton were completely honest with her best friend she would tell Brooke she could do better – but Brooke didn't want to be told that. The brunette social queen thrived on the notoriety of dating a guy like Felix. He was loud, crass and completely uncontrollable. Therefore, he made Brooke look tougher than she actually was because she was the only person in the entire town that had a semi-grip on the wild child. It was always Brooke's agenda to date someone who didn't want too much from her. Felix, by the powers of deduction on a late Friday night, had seemed the perfect choice.

"There are some days where I think I'm gonna dump his _dumb baboon ass_ and just..."

"Shhh," Peyton replied under her breath, hazel orbs darting inconspicuously towards the table that housed the school's jocks. "Don't say that too loudly. He's coming!"

Sliding along the laminate floor of the cafeteria, Felix raised his eyebrows as he approached his girlfriend. Smooth, his voice rolled off of his tongue as he slid next to Brooke and rolled his eyes up and down her body appreciatively

"Girl, you are looking fine today!" Beaming, wicked eyes sparkled as the boy laid a huge smile upon the brunette. Slender lips curled up into a smile, exposing large, pearly teeth.

"I called you last night," Brooke announced, eyebrows arched and ready for a confrontation. "Where were you?"

"I had a family thing," came the nonchalant reply, Felix reaching out and snaking a handful of fries from the girl's plate. Munching slowly, he rolled his eyes at her annoyed expression, shaking his head from side-to-side "Don't go all _hormonal-chick_ on me, okay?"

_Red alert. _Peyton's eyes opened wide at his comment, the boy knowing he was headed for trouble. She glanced over at her best friend who was on the verge of another public brawl, the rage palpable as it dripped off of her. Tiny hands connected with Felix's chest and pushed hard, the jock stumbling backwards a little from Brooke's shove as eyes began to turn and watch.

"Excuse me-"

"Oh here we fucking go-"

Like a military onslaught, words of anger and frustration began to fire back-and-forth between the arguing couple. Brooke growled as tiny hands balled into fists of rage, fueled further by Felix's apparent uncaring attitude. With each roll of his eyes the yelling got louder, Peyton standing to her feet and throwing in her goodbyes.

"On that note, I'm out of here. Brooke, come find me later, okay?"

Brooke gave her friend a quick nod before returning her full attention towards her boyfriend, the blonde cheerleader darting out of the now buzzing cafeteria and down the quiet hallways. Sneakers squeaked on the ground beneath her, echoing amongst the metal lockers that barricaded the cement walls. Turning the corner, Peyton slid up to her locker and turned the combination, the metal clicking and yanking outward.

_Thud!_

Heavy books fell into the open space, the noise of their impact heard throughout the corridors. Closing her eyes, the blonde took a few deep breaths and composed herself.

"Hey Blondie."

Delicate shoulders shot upwards in surprise as Peyton let out a gasp of shock, turning around from her open locker to see glistening eyes staring back at her. In one swift movement he reached out and placed a CD case in her locker, a small smile gracing his lips as she edged closer towards her.

"What the hell is that, Muso?" she barked, heart still trying to calm itself after the startle.

"The latest b-sides from the new _Jimmy_ album," Chris announced, obviously pleased with himself and the present he had just given her. "No one has them yet."

"And you're putting it my locker why?" Hazel orbs opened widely, daring him to give her an answer she would actually accept. In reality, she doubted there was any answer he could give that would warrant her accepting it.

"As a thank you," the musician breathed, leaning against the cool metal beside him and giving the cheerleader a hopeful look. "For the other day. I know being _King Douche's_ girlfriend probably made it hard for you to be nice to his illegitimate spawn brother and co, but you should know it was much appreciated."

"Whatever," she sighed in reply, reaching in and taking out the CD. Fingers grasped at the plastic and shoved it back into the boy's hands, much to his disapproval. Baby blues fell with disappointment as she rejected his peace offering, Chris wondering what on earth it took to just be given the chance to talk to Peyton Sawyer.

"_That's Peyton Sawyer. From what I hear, she's a bitch with an attitude. Stay away man, that's all I got to say."_

Lucas' words rang out through his mind, Chris looking at Peyton and sighing. Sparkling hazel eyes relayed a disinterested demeanor, arms folded neatly across her chest as her cheerleading uniform clung to her perfect body, the deep blue and white-striped skirt hugging athletic hips as those famous creamy legs stared back at him. After listening to the conversations about the social structure of Tree Hill, Chris Keller had come to know a thing or two about his new peers. Where Brooke Davis was feared and lusted after, Peyton Sawyer was somewhat of an enigma. She was the music-loving cheerleader who often displayed little cheer, yet she carried with her a face that was instantly recognizable. As the blue-eyed boy wonder looked at her he found himself intrigued by her obvious distaste for him and the current situation she found herself in.

"What's wrong with you, Blondie?" the musician quipped, dazzling smile on full display as he stepped towards the golden-haired beauty, her eyes meeting his and belting them with a fierce glance.

"It's Peyton, smart ass. _P-E-Y-T-O-N._ Peyton! Not Blondie, got it?"

A short chuckle escaped full lips, her fiery retort amusing to Chris as she challenged him.

_Little firecracker._

He didn't know why he felt the need to keep pushing her, but there was something about her that he couldn't escape. She played on his mind a lot as he watched her from afar. She was a part of the popular group yet she showed no interest in school politics. She dated the most popular guy in school yet the only thing they seemed to have in common was popularity and money. She walked around the halls in a shiny cheerleader uniform yet she raced out of the school grounds driving a 1963 Mercury Comet and wrapped in a leather jacket. She baffled him and intrigued him at the same time.

_He needed to know her._

"Whatever you say, Blondie," he replied, pearly whites shining brightly as Peyton stepped towards him, eyes fierce and full of loathing.

"Just do yourself a favor," she lamented, standing right up in his space and forcing him backwards into the locker. Any normal person would have felt intimidated – _but Chris Keller felt completely turned on_. "Stay away from me."

"You don't scare me, Blondie." Chris smiled, titling his head to the side as he felt her warm breath caress his skin. "I can see you're just hiding who you really are."

It was as if his words had reached right out and iced her soul. _How could he possibly know who she was when she didn't even know?_ Peyton turned and looked at Chris then, a little saddened as she did what he didn't expect her to do.

_She broke._

"Who are you to say who I really am? For all you know... _I'm nothing_."

Leaving her words to permeate the space between them, Peyton slammed her locker shut and turned and walk away. Her slow steps seemed somehow heavier as she retreated and as blonde curls danced in the cool, drafty corridor she wrapped her arms around her small frame. To the naked eye it would seem she was cold, but to Chris – it seemed almost as if she was holding herself in place; as if to keep herself glued together.

Almost as if she were afraid the breeze would blow her away.

Perhaps into oblivion.

_Would that even be so bad?_

Chris opened his mouth to call her back, not having expected to see that look in her eyes as she walked away; not expecting a reaction from her at all. It wasn't like they even knew each other and she had made it more than painfully obvious that she didn't seem to care all that much about what he thought. It seemed more than clear that their conversation meant that the blonde cheerleader was in no way allowing herself to begin to be friendly with the boy who clearly didn't belong in her world. Yet her expression had triggered a reaction in him, and her words had hit him with an expected blunt honesty that the musician was unsure what to say.

"Sorry," he whispered, running his fingers through his hair as he watched her walk away, disappearing across down the hall, clearly en route to anywhere but the savage halls of the high school.

Anywhere but near _him._

_Damn it!_

_**x~X~x**_

"Hey."

Wicked blue eyes sparkled with mischief as the cocky basketballer's gaze traveled up the redhead's body, Rachel walking slowly towards her car in the school parking lot. Draped over the bonnet, Nathan Scott smiled at the new co-captain of the cheerleaders as she approached. Standing to his feet, he flashed her his signature suave expression when she neared him. Smirking, lips turned up in a perfect expression as his stare met her chest, the tight uniform accentuating her busty form. His tongue trailed over his bottom lip as his gaze finally met hers, murky brown burning through baby blue.

"Can I help you?"

Her voice was a lot sexier than he had imagined, a happy surprise for the school leader. Reaching out and offering the take her books, the basketball captain tilted his head to the side, trying to seem less intimidating.

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of me helping you."

Eyebrows arched north, curious by his words. _Even more curious about his agenda. _

"And just how do you think you can help me?"

"By inviting you to the annual end-of-summer beach party tonight, Nathan announced, taking her books in his hands when she refused to hand them over. He walked to her car door, reaching out a long arm to usher her around. She refused the invitation, choosing the fold her arms instead and wait for his explanation.

"Okay look," he sighed, pulling the books to his chest and sheepishly shrugging his shoulders "truth is, your my brother's girlfriend and I thought maybe it would be a good opportunity to bury the hatchet?"

Still unconvinced, Rachel continued to remain silent, eyes never leaving Nathan as he scrambled for what to say. _A way to convince he_r.

"And you know, you're the new co-captain of the cheerleaders so it's kinda socially-mandatory that you be there. It's the final days of summer and if you wanna fit in and get these girls onside – you have to put in the effort."

Rachel bit her bottom lip, contemplating his words. He did have a point. She was finding it hard enough trying to get the girls to accept her, it would become even more impossible if she alienated herself socially. It was hard on her being so low on the social food chain when she had come from being one of the most popular girl's in school. A bottom lip disappeared behind nervous teeth as Rachel considered her options, eyes darting up and looking at a smiling Nathan who didn't seem all that horrible in that moment.

"I'll think about it," she replied, Nathan nodding his head in satisfaction as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. Before she had a chance to stop him, the basketballer had dumped her books on the roof of her car and scrawled his number on her hand, pulling it towards his lips and gazing at her as he blew gently on the ink. She pulled in a sharp breath as they stayed gazing at each other for a few moments, Rachel finally breaking the gaze and pulling her hand from his. He smiled at her obvious uncomfortableness, delicious aftershave encircling her as he brushed past and gave her a wink.

"I really hope to see you tonight, Rachel. It would definitely make the party more worthwhile."

Without replying, Rachel reached up for the books that currently resided on her car and pulled on her door handle with flustered vigor. Yanking it open, she slid into the driver's seat and dumped the texts to the side, fumbling nervously with the keys as Nathan watched her from the outside. His large smile made her cheeks flush red, the cheerleader silently cursing to herself as she finally started her car and reversed out of the parking lot, Nathan gazing after her as a familiar voice erupted from behind him and cut through his thoughts.

"So," Felix asked, out of breath and following Nathan's gaze towards the car exiting the parking lot. "Is she in?"

"Not yet," Nathan replied, his voice displaying the confidence that now coursed through his veins. "But she will be and then-" he turned and looked at his friend, silently pleased with himself.

"- then she's all mine."

**x~X~x**

Whoa, chapter 5 already. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fic. I cannot believe it is up to 52 reviews for only 4 chapters! I'm seriously touched, I'm also really happy that people are getting into the story. I know it's titled as a Chris and Peyton fic, but I'm having a lot of fun pulling all the other characters into it as well. As always, special thanks have to go to:

_**dianehermans**_ – Avid Brucaser who gave this fic a shot. You are such a loyal fanfiction reviewer and I just think you are so amazing for taking the time to encourage us all to keep going with our writing. Thank you. You know I'm a Brucaser, so just hang in there!

_**Nena – 1 and 2**_? It seems like there are two of you so I wanted to say thank you twice. I also wanted to state that I don't delete any reviews that I receive so perhaps go back through them and check? I even keep the nasty reviews because they make me laugh! LOL

**Sunshine** – My girl from the CW. Thanks for your continued support for all my fics. You seriously rock and I always LOVE reading your reviews.

**CoolKeller23 **– I LOVE your screen name. Thanks for the PM about the fic and the reviews for each chapter. It was truly hilarious hearing you discuss Chris and his perfect match. (I have to agree with you – Chris with Brooke SUCKS ASS!) but I am glad you are enjoying Chris with Peyton!

**Carly** – Thank you for the review. It always means a lot when someone takes the time to share their thoughts :)

**DANI OTH** – As always, where would I be without you? Us Brucasers have to stick together so thank you for giving this fic a shot and for leaving a review. I always have a chuckle whenever I read them and I'm so happy that we still get to chat even though the CW site is no more!

**Sara** – Thank you for reviewing each chapter. I am so glad you're liking it and I hope I can continue to deliver a fic worth reading! Thank you!

**BelleChloe** – You know I have no words for you! Thank you for encouraging me when I wanted to give up. Thank you for supporting me when I felt like my creativity was being stolen from me. Thank you for keeping everything in perspective and pushing me forward. This chapter is completed because of you and is therefoe can only be dedicated to you! I hope it was worth the wait.

And thank you to everyone who stopped by and had a read. Thank you to those who fav'd and alerted. I am so happy with how this fic is turning out and I hope you continue the journey with me.

_Until next time - much love and god bless,_

_Chrissy_

_xox_


	6. Young Blood

**AN: **Sore hands, but it had to be published. I feel behind and even though people are telling me to slow down I really don't want to lose any of you! So here is my latest update and I wanted to say thank you to everyone who is sticking by me and reading this fic. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! - Chrissy :)

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

_We're only young and naive still  
We require certain skills  
The mood it changes like the wind  
Hard to control when it begins_

The bittersweet between my teeth  
Trying to find the in-betweens  
Fall back in love eventually  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah 

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 5: Young Blood**

"No way. _Absolutely __**not**__._"

Sliding into the window booth of the quiet cafe run by his mother, Lucas Scott gazed upon his eager girlfriend with a look of sheer incredulity. Leaning back into the soft pleather seats behind him, the brooding blonde folded his arms as a signal of a mind made up. Flaxen lashes darted north then south as the vibrant redhead pouted, heavily glossed lips reflecting in the afternoon sun. As the waitress slid their usual order of cokes before them, nostrils flared as a fiery cheerleader prepared to take on her basketballer boyfriend.

No was not an answer Rachel Gatina liked to hear. _Even when it was the best answer to be had._

"Oh come on baby," stretching out her words, a familiar whine entered her tone. Even if he had been trying to get at his brother, Nathan Scott did have a point. She now had a responsibility to a new team, one that would not take too kindly to her authority after following her co-captain so faithfully in the years prior. It did not matter that she was great at what she did and could definitely win them titles – it meant nothing if they did not respect her.

"I really want to go tonight. It would be good for us to be there."

"And why is that?" Lucas replied, raising a suspicious eyebrow, keen to hear her answer. He had spent his whole life purposefully avoiding the social gatherings of Tree Hill High and now was going to be no exception. He wasn't going to throw himself to be mauled by his brother's wolves.

_No way, no how._

"Because," Rachel growled, her usual temperament when she didn't get her way. "Nathan made a good point. Being a co-captain means I have a social obligation to make sure I have my team's full support-"

"You spoke to my brother?" Angered, he spat the words out with disgust. Slim shoulders shrugged in reply, Rachel unmoved by his obvious disappointment in her. Rachel knew everything regarding Lucas and his wayward younger sibling and yet here she was having casual conversations with the devil-spawn. It was enough to make the elder Scott's blood boil.

"He came to me but that's beside the point." Rambling, she barely came up for air as she unleashed her obviously prepared speech. "What he said makes sense. I'm the new co-captain of the cheerleaders so it's socially-mandatory that I be at this beach party."

"Oh, it's _socially-mandatory_ is it?" Mocking in his tone, her followed with a bored eye-roll.

"Yes," the redhead fired back, getting annoyed with his lack of social awareness and understanding. "If I want to fit in with these girls and have them respect me then I need to put in the effort."

"You're already the captain. It's been decided." thick hands raised into the air, question coming. "Why do you need to parade around at a beach party where no one gives a shit about us?"

"Because I _want_ them to give a shit, Lucas," Rachel replied, a sigh of frustration escaping her as she reached out and twiddled her thumb around the straw inside the glass before her. "They're cheerleaders!"

"Did someone mention cheerleaders?" Sliding into the booth, large white teeth grinned at his friends as Chris inserted himself into the conversation. Waving at the waitress, another coke slid itself onto the table, the musician gulping down half of it without so much as a breath. Glancing up, baby blues suddenly registered the tension in the air, Chris composing himself long enough to try and figure out what new Rachel and Lucas storm he had just placed himself into.

"What? What did I miss?"

"Rachel was convinced by Nathan today that she needs to attend the beach party tonight." Shocked by Lucas' words, Chris immediately glanced at Rachel with a look of sheer surprise.

"You spoke to Satan's spawn?"

Rachel scoffed, annoyance in every breath she took. It was hard enough dealing with Lucas when it was one-on-one, but the minute you added his best friend into the mix the fight was next-to pointless.

"He spoke to me," she explained, trying her best to remain clam. "But irregardless, what he said was true. If I am going to make any kind of headway with this cheerleaders, as their co-captain I need to be present at social gatherings."

"So... everyone is going to this beach party then?" Curious eyes darted back and froth between the feuding couple, Rachel nodding her head as she and Lucas continued their stare off. "And because the cheerleaders will be there then so will-"

_Peyton Sawyer_.

_Ice princess._

_Fucking goddess!_

"The whole basketball team?" Suddenly, for the first time in their whole friendship, Chris knew he was about to side with his best friend's girl.

"What's your point?" Lucas snapped, seeing the inner-workings of Chris Keller's mind playing out through his excited expression

"Dude, you're there new co-captain as well. Do you really wanna give Nathan a chance to have all the fun with your new team and make you seem like a dick captain who couldn't be bothered hanging with them?"

"Oh yes, that's good," Rachel replied, unabashed. "Chris is right, baby."

"No he's not," Lucas fired back, although his voice had softened somewhat. "I'm their captain irregardless. They can't kick me off the team-"

"But they can make your life hell," Chris replied, suddenly feeling like his best friend needed to be at this party. Suddenly, images of the cafeteria remarks entered his mind and he shook them away. Lucas was already starting on the back foot and it was going to be a struggle to even catch up to his shit-for-brains younger brother. But tonight could be a start.

_For all of them._

"Come on, Luke. We'll all go together." Unconvinced, Lucas looked down at his drink then out the window. He had promised himself he would never become like them, never hang out with them. Never socialize with the smug and superior students of Tree Hill High. Problem was, his best friend had a point. Now, they were his classmates. _They were his teammates. _

_**They were his problem**_.

"Luke?"

"Fine," Lucas growled in reply, Rachel jumping in her seat excitedly as delicate hands joined together in a celebratory clap. "But the minute shit starts to hit the fan-"

"We're out," Rachel agreed happily, nudging into Chris to show her obvious gratitude. The musician smiled and gazed across the table at his troubled best friend. He knew Lucas was nervous and wanted to be as far away from his brother as possible, but now he was the co-captain of the ravens and he needed to make his presence known. He needed to make friends and more importantly, allies. Chris knew they had to start somewhere. They had to make the most of their new educational situation. Just to survive.

_Why not start tonight?_

x~X~x

Darkened, salty waves screamed a last hurrah in repeated thumps, their steady beat setting the tone as white foam stretched out unevenly over the brightly lit sand. Orange flickers darted across the granule under-footing and laughter spilled forth from underage lips in drunken stupor. Amidst cries and chants, Tree Hill's teenage population delivered their farewell to summer in the craziest of predictable fashions. Under a blanket of shimmering stars, the teens occupied themselves with heavy liquor and random conversation. Gushing stories of flings, shopping, sport and gossip that had littered their heated season filtering the air as three cheerleaders made their way down the sandy dunes, queen bee Brooke Davis leading the charge. As eyes glanced over the elite cheer squad - _beauty and radiance somehow managing to touch them in every way possible_ - they made their way over to enviable Nathan Scott and his crowd, clique requirements still prominent, even in a casual setting such as this. As greetings were exchanged with kisses and cuddles, hazel eyes darted through the crowd, one face noticeably missing from the fully-charged soiree.

"And who are we looking for tonight, P. Sawyer?"

Peyton turned and sent a weak smile Brooke's way, the bubbling brunette unwilling to allow her melancholy friend, the least cheery of cheerleaders, to bring the mood of such an amazing party and opportunity for social dominance, down. With a quick pull, the blonde was wrapped in a tight bear-hug; Brooke's voice filtering through the blonde's darkened thoughts like an unstoppable fog in a horror film.

"Please do me a favor and cheer up because this is a party and it's time to have fun!"

Almost as if on queue, a stiff drink was placed into Peyton's hand, Bevin's devilish smile lighting her face as her lips curled up in satisfaction, encouraging the blonde to take it. As two pairs of eyes watched impatiently, Peyton brought the red plastic cup to her lips. The cool liquid cascaded down her throat and danced in an explosion of sourness, eyes squinting as Brooke and Bevin cheered, another cup immediately reaching the blonde's hands as she tried to recover from the first.

"Why not?" Peyton mumbled under her breath, eyes flickering with a hint of hopelessness as she looked around once more for the boy she had hoped would show. She was afraid the little cafeteria meeting had scared the elder Scott brother off, and with Dan riding Nathan's ass all afternoon it became more than apparent that her boyfriend needed a better familial connection. Perhaps Lucas was it?

"So, do you think Lucas will turn up tonight?"

Bevin threw a glace Brooke's way but the brunette beauty queen waved it off with a flick of her delicate wrist, pulling her best friend as they made their way back to the crowd. As he saw his girls approaching, Nathan threw a goofy grin their way, drawing them in with a gallant wave. The wave of short skirts surrounding him made the picture complete, the raven-haired jock laughing as another shot of darkened liquid sank into his body and the horde of hopeful one night stands fluttered closer.

_Adonis._

_Pfft._

_He had nothing on the legend that was Nathan Scott._

"Ladies," the sporting superstar exclaimed, an arm shooting out and cupping Peyton in a hug, Brooke smiling appreciatively as a glance of mutual understanding flashed between the school's king and queen. "Ready to have some fun?"

"Always," Brooke replied in her usual deviant tone, boys around her suddenly tightening in their pants as she smiled and flicked her chocolate locks behind her sun-kissed shoulders. "What did you have in mind, Scott?"

"Truth or dare, naturally," Nathan replied, buzzed excitement flickering around them as his majesty laid down the rules. "It's simple but wicked, hot fun. Who's in?"

As she tried to untangle herself from Nathan's grasp, Brooke shot Peyton an unhappy look, the blonde knowing that meant brunette missy was not happy with her. She reached up and threw down another drink, the liquid buzzing in her system but doing nothing to dull the ache that resided within. A defeated sigh escaped her lips then and she nodded, throwing her hand up in the air as if to satisfy the brunette's need to have her represent their social circle.

"Fine, I'm in."

"That a girl," Nathan boomed, kissing her golden curls with a quick brush of the lips as he turned to Brooke and a wired Bevin. "How about you two?"

"You even have to ask?" Brooke replied, raised eyebrows arched in mock astonishment. "What is a truth or dare session _without_ a touch of Davis and Mirskey?"

"Fair call," Nathan replied, a slight laugh escaping his perfectly placed lips. Chiseled perfection sauntered around the crowd then, thick hands clasping together as striking blue eyes darted amongst the anticipating bodies surrounding him. "Who's up for the first one, then?"

"Me," Tim piped up, Nathan's lackey yet again filled with a desperate need to seem cool and fitting, in spite of his serious lack of social etiquette. "Can I go first?"

Had it not been for the fact that his parents were loaded and thus enjoyed the benefits of moving in society's rich circles, Tim Smith would have remained a social stain on the fabric of the elite tribe of young and beautiful teens. But as it happened, his father had grown up with Dan Scott, and although the patriarch of the Scott dynasty was not enjoying the happiest of relationships with either son at the present time, Nathan maintained his close proximity with Tim, either out of loyalty or the sheer amusement of having a boy so completely and utterly in awe of the basketball hero.

_Either way, Tim was Nathan's toy. _

_And no one messed with Nathan's belongings._

"Sure," Nathan laughed, folding his arms across his chest as he looked down at the wide-eyed boy before him. "But make it a good one Tim."

"Can anyone play?" Velvety-smooth, Rachel's voice drifted into the circle and hushed a stunned crowd. Wrapped in tight booty shorts and a tank, heaving breasts were on full display as the latest cheerleader made her way towards the popular crowd. Painted smile, the redhead glanced around as all eyes landed on Brooke and Nathan, one clearly pleased to see her – the other not so much. Sliding his arm off of Peyton, Nathan grinned at Rachel with his usual charm.

"Of course," the raven-haired god replied, tension slowly fading away as the king's orders were announced. "But you have to be willing to do or say anything. We don't do things half way at this school."

"Well it's a good thing I've never understood the concept of _half-way._"

_Wicked. _This girl was something else.

"Well then," Tim smirked, looking over at Rachel with lust. His stare confused her at first, but when she registered the smirk on Brooke's face it became more than apparent that this boy was not someone you wanted gazing at you. As she rolled her eyes and let out a scoff of unhappy air, dark thoughts raging through her mind.

"_If that loser even tries to feel me up again, I swear…"_

"I dare Nathan to make out with Rachel!" the boy exclaimed excitedly, Rachel's eyes widening in a happy surprise as she looked on at Nathan's godly form.

_Nice one, Tim!_

"Um, excuse me Dim," Brooke announced unhappily, glaring at the redhead who seemed more than happy about the dare. "But he happens to be someone's boyfri-"

"No sweat," Nathan declared, sauntering up to a waiting Rachel as both eyes lit up in obvious liking. Without so much as a second's hesitation, lips hungrily hit one-another in a collision of undeniable heat.

_Had this happened before?_

Hard hands moved through Rachel's hair as Nathan gripped her head and pulled her in, the cheerleader fighting back with vigor as she retaliated, lips melding in perfect unison. Shocked gasps arose from the surrounding crowd, hazel eyes rolling as emerald eyes glowered. Barely registering the looks around them, the two finished up their face suck, smiling in satisfaction as lips were wiped slowly. Brooke nudged her blonde friend angrily. Shaking her head at Rachel as she sauntered back to her place in the circle, the brunette cheerleader threw daggers at her best-friend's boyfriend. Glancing over at his girlfriend, Nathan seemed slightly worried as he gazed on Peyton's unhappy form.

"Truth or dare, Peyt?" Rachel's voice carried itself across the group as she threw the challenge at the notorious ice princess. She had balls, they had to give her that much. Blonde curls bounced as the sullen teenager looked up, expectant eyes all on her and awaiting a response.

"It's not your turn, Rachel."

"I give her my turn," Nathan declared, wanting to get his seriously unhappy girlfriend participating in the night's frivolity. "Come on, truth or dare?"

Peyton scowled, looking over at the sand dunes to see Chris Keller and Haley James looking over with wide eyes at the scene that had unfolded before them. Chris smirked at her then, his very grin causing the blonde's anger to rise as she scowled in his direction then faced her friends.

"Fine, truth."

"Tell us how you really feel about Nathan," the redhead replied without skipping a beat, eyes now completely focused on the blonde and the juiciest gossip that had long been kept under wraps since the pair had started dating. Peyton's eyes fell as she looked at the girl in disappointment, wondering why she would bring up such a thing at such a time. Undeterred, Rachel pushed further still.

"Well? Maybe if you get it out there you can stop moping and start having some fun!"

_Excuse me? Who did this bitch think she was?_

"I don't know," the blonde replied honestly, voice lowered as she looked at the girl with stone cold eyes. "I don't know how I feel about him. I don't know how he feels about me. But after tonight's actions of sucking face with a street walked such as yourself, I think it's pretty safe to say that this whole "thing" we may have had, does not mean the same to him as it does to me. There, is that what you wanted to hear?"

With an angry swipe, Peyton grabbed a drink out of a passer-by's hand and slammed it down, eyes hazing a little as the beverage sunk into her very being. Uncertain glances floated around her then as Brooke and Bevin shuffled before her, clearly unsure what to say or how to change the situation they seemed to have created by pushing their friend to playing the game. Nathan glared at his girlfriend, the humiliation apparent all over him. She hated him in that moment, and the thought of hurting him the way he had hurt her had never been more prominent It was then that Peyton noticed a flash of sandy-hair, head darting to glance over as Lucas Scott arrived at the party, en route to Haley and Chris. Still reeling from seeing his girlfriend lock lips with his brother, it was evident that Lucas Scott was pissed! Peyton smiled then and turned to Brooke, eyes alive with retaliation as the brunette looked at her skeptically.

Nathan prided himself on the fact that he had everything Lucas didn't. He had the captaincy. He had the girlfriend. He had the support of the had cheerleader. It was because of these things that he felt invincible._ Unstoppable. __**Untouchable**__. _

_He'd already lost two things this week. Now, it was time to lose the third._

"Truth or dare, B. Davis?"

It was a known fact that Brooke Davis was not only a daring girl but liked to keep her secrets close to her heart. As her oldest friend, Peyton knew the option that would spill forth form the girls' lips, and she counted on making this night as interesting for Brooke as it had been for her.

She would make her do the one thing the brunette queen had always vowed not to.

_Defy her King!_

"I dare you to kiss Lucas Scott."

_Boom!_

Emerald eyes flared in disbelief, a lower lip consumed with tentativeness as the crowd awaited the brunette's response. Brooke knew she couldn't back down, it wasn't her style and she had a reputation to protect.

_But this?_

Lucas Scott was the illegitimate Scott and although he was now the co-captain of the basketball team, it was common knowledge that he came from different breeding. He was known as the one who had the poor uncle for a dad, not the rick businessman. Perhaps Keith was the nicer of the older Scotts, but where Dan had social standing, Keith did not. Where Dan had money, Keith did not. Brooke had only thought about Lucas Scott from far away because he was her rival's boyfriend. He was hot, that was for sure, but to kiss him would be to go against everything indoctrinated in them from the very beginning. She was supposed to be team Nathan. No, Lucas Scott was definitely not the kind of boy that a girl like Brooke Davis should attach her lips to, and yet here she was, eyes waiting for the moment when the unthinkable, happened.

_Hold onto your hats people, it's go time!_

With a quick scowl aimed at her blonde friend, Brooke sighed and stalked across the sandy beach. Granules sank between perfectly manicured toes as the brunette goddess made her way towards the unsuspecting blonde, Lucas turning at the last minute and hitting her with his misty blues.

_Whoa, damn. _

_Where did they come from?_

As confusion ran through his gaze, Brooke stepped in, her lips attaching to his ferociously as the boy stood still, shock resonating through his entire body at the electricity that was surging through it. As soft lips cascaded over a hardened mouth, Lucas' mind connected to the rest of his body and he kissed her back, unsure why he was doing so, but unable to stop. Strawberry intoxication filled his senses, her lips tasting sweet as they moved over his, dancing in tune as they fell into the moment. As his hand found her hip Brooke awoke, body turning stiff as she dragged herself from his lips, reddened from her onslaught. Heavy breaths exchanged between the two as they looked at one-another, searching for a reason why the most hated idea…

… _had become the most thrilling moment?_

"I still hate you," the brunette breathed as she pulled out of the embrace and stalked away, returning to her group as Nathan nodded in Lucas' direction, Haley and Chris looking at the blonde outcast in shock.

_What the hell was that?_

"What the hell was that?" Haley blurted out as she voiced the sentiments everyone was thinking, Lucas shrugging in her direction as he looked over at Chris, clearly not wanting to voice his thoughts in front of the musician who would no doubt want to repeat the conversation ad nauseam. Haley witnessed the exchange and sighed with obvious annoyance. She hated when Lucas closed up like this. Chris folded his arms and smirked at the blonde boy, his cheesy grin angering Lucas as he looked at Haley and shrugged again, shoulders slouching in their usual manner when he had something on his mind. Haley knew the signs, she had grown up with Lucas and knew him like the back of her hand,. Turning to look at Chris, the musician raised his hands in the air and took the hint, stepping backwards in the sand.

"Whatever guys. Just come and find me when you're done analyzing what just happened."

Haley threw a scowl Chris' way as he smiled and turned away, feet digging into the sand as it grew harder underneath his feet. He didn't notice straight away when the water hugged at his toes, lost in thought as the cool liquid hinted at the beginning of the cooler season change. Suddenly lips turned in an upward grin as he spotted a blonde cheerleader, arms wrapped protectively around her frame as she stared out into the vast ocean of nothing-ness, a slight breeze tugging at her curls and sending them dancing over her shoulders. He made his way over and stood beside her, scanning legs once again as she turned and gave him what could only be described as an annoyed expression.

"What?"

The boy chuckled at her harsh tone, enjoying the obvious distaste he conjured within her as she avoided his gaze and continued her attempt to ignore him.

"Nothing," Chris shrugged, holding a beer-filled plastic cup out to her as a smirk spread out across his musically-gifted lips, "You just seem to need this more than I do?"

Hazel eyes darted up and hit the musician's blue orbs with vehement disapproval, the topic of Peyton Sawyer and Nathan Scott's dramatic relationship not a story she wanted to share with a guy who couldn't seem to take no for an answer.

_Just great!_

"And what would you know about it?" Peyton replied, throwing a glare Chris' way as she folded her arms and refused the drink. "Or did you come over here because, once again, three is a crowd?"

Peyton nodded toward the coupling of Haley and Lucas, both in deep conversation as Chris followed her gaze and crystal-blue spheres landed on the scenario. He swallowed hard at the sight, returning his gaze to meet hers as an angered retaliation brewed in his mind. With a raise of a thickened brow and a flashing of a signature cocky smirk, no hint of Chris' internal disapproval of being outcast-ed once again was evident as he replied to the sassy blonde before him.

"I came because cranky cheerleaders should never be left alone with their thoughts." He smirked at her pissed expression, taking a sip of the warming beer he'd offered her before continuing, the steam venting from Peyton's ears clearly visible to him. "That's how wars get started, ya know."

_Asshole!_

"Excuse me?" Peyton scowled, giving Chris the once-over, hazel eyes trailing over the musician's confident form with a look of disdain, the way one would look at a bug that needed to be squashed. "Tell me, is that what you call all the girls who are so grossly out of your league? You know, to make yourself feel better about the fact that you don't have a chance in hell of ever having them?"

_Feisty!_

_Game on, Blondie!_

Chris laughed, circling Peyton slowly before leaning in, his lips at her ear in one swift movement. "Keep telling yourself that, Blondie. You say out of my league, I say a challenge." His brow raised yet again as he stepped back into her line of sight, still too close for comfort, chafed lips forming a satisfied smile.

"You know," Peyton replied causally, voice strangely even as she took the musician on. "Your feeble attempts to annoy me are about as pathetic as the way you think you might actually get somewhere with them."

Chris's smile fell a little at her harsh words but he quickly forced the look back on his face, refusing to lose against the fiery cheerleader, "Almost as pathetic as you moping about a guy who didn't even care about kissing another chick in front of you." The musician shrugged, taking another sip of his beer, unaware of the potency of his words. "I mean really, how great can the guy be if he's so quick to be all over someone else, huh?"

Peyton's face cracked then, words damaging a hardened heart as she looked away in anger, the musician realizing he'd perhaps hurt her. She turned and looked out over the water, its darkened waves of night time splendor matching her darkened mood.

"You know, even without considering me, even when he's absent and even when I feel like moping over him and being completely pathetic in your eyes... he still manages to outshine you in every which-way possible."

Chris swallowed hard, chugging the rest of his beer as he gave Peyton one last look, voice soft as he leaned into her ear again, "It's not my fault your boyfriend's an asshole, Blondie."

"And it's not my fault I'm in a social circle you despise. It's not my fault I had a life before you got here – one you don't understand. I didn't make the rules Muso, I just live by them."

"Guess so," he muttered, usual smirk failing as he stepped back, tossing his beer bottle into the ocean before speaking again, voice harsh as he shrugged, "Ya know, when you live your life according to what is socially acceptable – you stop living."

Peyton turned and looked at Chris then, the fire in her eyes matched with the sheer depression that radiated off of her. It shocked him, how incredibly vulnerable she seemed at that moment. _How fragile. _Brittle. _Broken. __**Bruised.**_

"What do you know about living?" Pulling her arms around her tiny frame, Peyton held herself together as the cool breeze swirled around them. "What do you know about anything."

"I know one thing," Chris replied, stepping forward and tucking a solitary curl behind her delicate ear. "You deserve more than a guy like Nathan." Licking his lips, the musician stepped even closer, closing the gap so that he could feel the warmth that permeated from her incredible body. "You deserve a guy who sees you for who you really are."

"And what is that?" the blonde breathed, emerald eyes gazing up and locking with the misty blue orbs that stared deep into her soul.

"Peyton!"

Startled by the voice, the two teenagers stepped away from one another and turned to look back up the beach, a concerned Brooke throwing Chris a deathly stare as she reached her hand out for her best friend. "We're going – now!"

Shuffling up the sand towards her best friend, the blonde cheerleader turned back and looked at Chris with confused yet intrigued eyes, a look that caused his heart to skip a beat. He knew she was special the minute he had laid eyes on her. Watching her walk away now, Chris Keller was more determined than ever to show Peyton Sawyer that she deserved so much more than the life she was living.

"_You deserve a guy who sees you for who you really are."_

"_And what is that?"_

"Everything," the musician whispered, a smile stretching across his lips as sat himself on the wet sand.

"You're everything."

**x~X~x**

Special thanks HAVE to go to:

**BelleChloe **– You are awesome. You know I am so lucky to have such a supportive friend. Thank you for your words of encouragement when it comes to my writing and for always being honest with your reviews! If I'm inspired to do Chreyton, it's usually because of being able the rp them with you! Hope you love it :)

**Sara **– Thank you so much! I am so glad you love the story. I think you meant that Brooke needs to dump Felix, but I think being with Lucas is tough for her for many reasons. However, being an avid BLer you know where my heart lies!

**naleyalways4eva **– Thank you so much for your review! I can't believe you read all 5 chapters at once – I feel honored! I always loved the idea of Chris and Lucas being friends ever since the dream sequence in season 3 where Chris and Lucas are in bed together. They just seem hilarious. Chalk and cheese, but both have great hearts. Anyway, hope you enjoy the next chapter and thank you so much for your review!

**CoolKeller23 **– Your avatar is hilarious. Tyler is so cute in that photo. I wanted to keep the aspects of Chris the same, but also delve a little more into his inner workings and feelings. I did an rp a while back and was a part of Chreyton as a couple, and I really enjoyed them. The idea of them seems far-fetched but magic at the same time. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Tutourgirl23** – Breezer! hope you like the update! I wanna read some more of your stuff soon!

**DestructoGrl **– Hope this update was soon enough! Thank you so much for your review, it means a lot to me. Please let me know what you think of this chapter!

**DANI OTH** – Felix needs to die? Haha, you crack me up. You know where my heart lies – hang in there for me! And review because you always make me chuckle.

**Nena** – I'm so glad you like the mood of the story and how I'm portraying the characters. Nathan is an ass, but that was when I really enjoyed him. And it's actually really fun to write him this way. Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoy the update!

**gosal11444 **- YAY! Good to see you again! It's always a pleasure seeing your reviews and since I'm a BLer it's even more amazing that an LPer would take the time you read and review! Thank you so much! Hope you like the update (CW Old School RULES!)

**Carly** – Thank you for the review. Short but so so so sweet! :) Thank you so much for your support of this AU fic!

**dianehermans **– Brucas baby. Hoe you enjoyed that kiss as much as I enjoyed writing it!Come on, what's hotter than BL? Thanks so much for supporting this fic, even in the chapters that aren't heavy on Brooke, Lucas or BL. You know I ship them, so your reviews are more than appreciated!

**sunshine** – My most loyal reviewer! I appreciate all the support you have given me on my fics. Hopefully this chapter won't disappoint. Thank you for everything :)

And thank you to everyone who stopped by and had a read. Thank you to those who fav'd and alerted. I am so happy with how this fic is turning out and I hope you continue the journey with me.

_Until next time - much love and god bless,_

_Chrissy_

_xox_


	7. A Change In The Tide

**AN: **Thank you for taking this odd journey with me. When people ask me _why _Peyton and Chris the answer is simple for me – I love Chris and he simply doesn't fit with anyone else. I think he was great for Naley drama but didn't really fit with Haley and I absolutely **hate** him with Brooke. There is no way on god's green earth that those two were - or ever will - be believable together. I am a Brucas, Naley and Jeyton shipper, but I LOVE writing Chris and Peyton because I think their personalities bounce off each other wonderfully and if given the chance they could have really been something. Anyway, I hope this answers everyone's questions and I sincerely hope you enjoy the latest update. As always my comrades – read and review! ~ **_Chrissy xox_**

_**** My friends have a new OTH fic called "This Magic Moment" by fmjl11. It's always hard to get into fanfiction and have the guts to publish something you've written for the world to judge, but I think they have done an amazing job and it would be completely awesome if you guys could go and check it out and tell them what you think. Your support would mean everything. xox**_

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

_Change._

_We don't like it._

_We fear it, but we can't stop it from coming._

_We either adapt to change or we get left behind._

_And it hurts to grow._

_Anybody who tells you it doesn't is lying. _

_But here's the truth..._

_The more things change, the more they stay the same. _

_And sometimes, oh, sometimes change is good. _

_Oh, sometimes, change is..._

_Everything. _

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 7: A Change In The Tide**

Thick lead traced its way across the ivory parchment with an ironic, effortless intent. Bathed in the morning rays which filtered through the window to the right, the paper glowed slightly. Golden tresses dangled precariously over hunched slender shoulders as the artist leaned over the corner table. With every passer-by, the curls glided through the air as if riding a breeze. Silence floated around the semi-empty library, not unusual for a Monday. It was the only place Peyton Sawyer could think of to go where she could avoid the pathetic looks of sympathy from the girls who had witnessed her boyfriend's passionate tongue-bathing with Rach-_hoe _and the annoying high-fives of Nathan's crew who applauded their captain for such a score.

She had successfully avoided his phone calls for the entire weekend following the party and she felt no remorse regarding her effort. Not even the knock on the door at ten o'clock the previous night had received any attention. Glancing out her bedroom window she could see his car parked out the front, the jock shuffling aimlessly on her front porch in the dark silence. He hated being ignored. But she didn't want to see him. She didn't want to speak to him. In fact, the fiery cheerleader had come to the conclusion that she would be pretty happy to not have to deal with her wayward boyfriend at all.

_Unfortunately, Nathan Scott had other ideas_.

Sauntering through the library, the raven-haired jock laid eyes on his girlfriend within seconds. In that brief moment where their eyes met she silently cursed herself for ever sharing with him the location of her secret hiding place. Navy and white clung to his body as the Letterman jacket wrapped around his muscular frame, accentuating his already large sportsman shoulders. The strap of his bag slid diagonally across his chest, sliding noisily against his dark denim jeans. Without so much as a hello, the basketballer slid next to his girlfriend and dumped his satchel to the ground with a thud.

"I've been calling you all weekend." Peyton didn't even bother to look in his direction, instead choosing to purposefully keep her hazel orbs trained on the paper before her. She could tell already that he was frazzled, the loud tap of his bouncing right knee a dead giveaway. "Okay, then this is the part where I say I'm a jerk and I'm sorry and you forgive me."

Leaning in towards her, Nathan reached out a determined hand and encapsulated her fingers. His skin felt warm to the touch, a stark contrast to her usual coldness. Almost as quickly as he had grabbed hold of her she pulled away, still avoiding his gaze. _This was going to be a lot tougher than he thought_.

"Come on, you know you want to."

She hated the way he said that. They was he instantly believed that what he'd done was so forgivable that it warranted forgiveness. Like she would just roll over and take it because they had been together for so long and because he was Nathan Scott. Because any other girl lucky enough to have him would gladly forgive him of his crimes, no matter how hurtful. Her nostrils flared slightly as she let out a long, shaky breath. She brought her eyes up to meet his and shook her head slightly, like she was in disbelief that he simply didn't get it.

"It's not that simple."

"What isn't? This is what we do. We fight, you call me a jerk, I cool down and admit I'm a jerk and then you forgive me." Leaning backwards, a thick arm gripped the rear of the chair as eyes began to wander in the couple's direction. He now had an audience and Peyton could already see Nathan was prepared to put on a show. _It was always about keeping up appearances_. "And then we have amazing make-up sex."

There it was. Usually by this point she would laugh slightly and he would smile and then they would start making out. People around would start talking about what an amazing couple they were and even drop small comments about how amazing their life would be if they were them. It was a normal routine and Nathan was waiting for it to play out accordingly. But this time felt so different for the artist. This time, it wasn't enough. She wasn't sure why.

"Well maybe this time is different."

Her statement confused him, cerulean orbs darting a little crazily for a moment while he absorbed her words. This wasn't how it was supposed to play out. "Why would it be any different?"

And this was the problem. Nathan had lived his whole life getting exactly what he wanted whenever he wanted it, that when he didn't get things it confused him. Usually the blonde cheerleader would let this kind of behavior slide because they had been together for so long and their union sort of seemed inevitable. She understood that with a father like Dan Scott, Nathan would have issues with his emotions and registering what was important in life. Often, she had used that knowledge as an excuse for his behavior. Yet something inside her had clicked that night on the beach. Not for one second did he contemplate her feelings. Kissing Rachel was a _game_ to him. Everything seemed to be. Winning was all that mattered to Nathan and Peyton had spent the better half of the past two days coming to the realization that she was nothing more than a sideshow. _**An after-thought. **_

The problem wasn't just that he hadn't changed at all. _It was that she had begun to._

"Because maybe I'm different, Nathan. Maybe you and I just aren't the same two people we were two years ago when this all started."

"I know we're not." Chuckling slightly, his brows rose in obvious confusion. More voices began to whisper around them but the blonde artist didn't care. For the first time in her life, she honestly didn't care. But Nathan did. He began to fidget when he felt their eyes on him and his words came out half-nervous, half-arrogantly smug. "We're so much _better _now and we have so much _**more.**_"

Of course he would say something like that. Of course he would see it that way. _It was all about winning. _

Another sigh, another shake of the head. "Material things. Popularity. There's more to life than being noticed and playing basketball."

"Not for me," her words stung, the basketballer finally seeing her intent. Leaning forward, thick hands gripped the edge of the small, round table. "You've known that from the start. The more support I have here the greater my chances at making it out there. No one wants to give a scholarship to a dude who isn't even liked."

"So kissing Rachel was just another way to be liked?" Raising a solitary eyebrow, Peyton wasn't about to back down. It was when they both had their backs up that the real danger began.

"Aww, come on. That was a _dare_. If you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at Tim."

"No," shaking her head, golden curls bounced from side to side as an accusatory finger poked directly at him. "You did it because you _wanted _to do it. Because the idea of making out with your brother's girlfriend and sending him some stupid territorial message was more important to you than how I might have felt."

Anger flashed through the basketballer's eyes. "That's not true, and don't ever call that broken condom my brother!"

_Thump._ Leaning back into her chair, delicate fingers slammed the sketchbook shut. Disgust resonated across her features, filtering into her tone as she gazed at the boy she now felt she barely knew. Who was he to judge Lucas? He had practically written the older Scott off before he had even met him. Before he had even gotten to know him. She knew there was tension there, everybody did, but she had so hoped that their forced matriculation would have at least broken down some walls. Alas, it had done the opposite. All Peyton saw was a brother who had been abandoned by some asshole coward who continued to blame him for everything that ever went wrong in his other son's life. _And Nathan let him_. Nathan carried that anger with him and used it as a means to make Lucas pay, and for what? _To be the bigger man? __**To seem better? **_This was not the Nathan she had known as a kid. He was a shell of who he used to be. Sitting before her was not a decent guy of character but a thug whose sole intent was to make his brother's life a living hell.

_Who the hell was he these days?_

"Is this who you are now? Some cowardly, cruel bully who cannot see past himself?" Her words were heated, drizzled with the venom she could feel bubbling away inside of her. God he made her so angry. She couldn't remember the last time an entire day went by when she didn't feel anger towards him.

_He barely noticed_.

"Is it that time of the month or something?" Sniggers erupted around them, mixed in with the shocked gasps of a few girls who understood the gravity of such a question.

"Excuse me?" Controlled, her words were definitely starting to show the wrath within. Hazel orbs were alight like a blazing fire, a clear indication that the basketballer needed to shut up – now! However Nathan Scott had an audience and with that many eyes on him it was impossible for him to back down. Even when he knew the outcome was never going to be a positive one.

"Seriously, are you hormonal or something?" The words left his lips and he glanced around, taking in all the eyes that were now trained on the warring couple. Noticing his shift of concentration, hazel orbs suddenly lifted to the curious faces that gazed at the dueling pair from all areas of the library. It then became insanely obvious why Nathan was behaving like such a jerk. It as all just a show to him, a never-ending life on display. She was tired of it. _**And him.**_

_She was tired of everything_.

"You're really pathetic, you know that?" Reaching out for her sketchpad, the blonde cheerleader stood to her feet and gave him a look of complete distaste. Murmurs erupted around them as she slid her bag over her shoulder, skin-tight jeans clinging to her enviable frame as her creamy skin called out from beneath her Rolling Stones midriff. Turning on her sketchers, she walked away.

"What? Peyton! _**Peyton**_!"

Darting out across the library, she could hear the annoyed cries of her boyfriend but she didn't care. Her insides were screaming and she needed to get away. Away from all the looks, away from all the pressure of having to be someone she wasn't. Having to put on a show because her boyfriend cared more about what other people thought than being true to himself. She was tired of all of it. As she raced away, baby-blues landed on her fleeing frame as she passed Chris, his sympathetic eyes watching her from behind a shelf of books.

"Whatever," Nathan grunted loudly, ensuring all around him could hear. "Not like I can't do better!" He wanted the world to see he didn't care about her departure, that he was still the most desirable jock in school who could have anything and anyone he wanted. Standing to his feet, Tim sidled up next to Nathan and gave him a fist pump, Chris shaking his head at the sight. The duo stalked towards the entrance to the library, the raven-haired basketballer giving Chris a death stare as they passed. As they exited the building and the bell sounded out around them, the musician couldn't help but wonder why someone like Peyton Sawyer was with a jerk like Nathan Scott.

_He didn't even appreciate how good he had it._

**x~X~x**

Sharp nails traced the thick wood of the desk, delicate fingertips creating absent-minded circles over old carvings of names and love hearts. Staring down at the patterns, emerald eyes gazed on in boredom. It was barely Monday morning and already the head cheerleader was feeling beyond disinterested. As the sullen voice of her English teacher droned out in the silence around her, Brooke Davis let out a long sigh and continued her aimless circle patterns. White teeth bit down on a cherry-glossed lip, flicking the ample skin backwards as she released it. She did this a few times, resting her head on an outstretched hand, propped on the table by her elbow.

"Miss Davis?"

_Crap! _Sparkling eyes jutted up towards the voice that had cut through her wandering thoughts. The brunette cheerleader could suddenly feel all eyes upon her, the air thick with the silence as an aging teacher stared upon her, waiting for a response.

"Huh?" It was the best she could do considering she absolutely no idea what was asked of her. A few giggles came from behind her, Brooke turning to find Bevin sending her a large, goofy grin.

"_Their graces serve them but as enemies _-" She was totally lost now. "What is the theme of virtue and envy of virtue in _As You Like It?_" Leaning against the stealth teacher's desk situated in the front of the classroom, tired arms folded over a vested chest. Brooke couldn't help but notice his sad attire. Not to mention she had absolutely no idea what he was referring to.

"Um, well..." Flushed, she could feel the undeniable heat of embarrassment filling her cheeks. Tinged rouge, her chest rose and fell nervously as she stumbled over herself to find an answer. Anything that would take the attention off of her. Swallowing hard, she internally prayed for some sort of rescue. Some sort of reprieve.

_Oh god, save me!_

"Orlando arrives back at Oliver's house and finds Adam there."

Softly spoken, his voice was huskier than she had remembered. It was kind of sexy, if you were into that sort of thing. Gazing to her left, eyes darting between the heads of the people that sat between them, Brooke Davis watched as Lucas Scott opened his mouth and answered the question. "Adam warns him that Oliver is plotting to kill him by burning down Orlando's lodgings with Orlando inside during the night. I think that virtue is something that Orlando has and his jealous brother Oliver knows it. The nature of virtue is developed within the character of the individual."

Gazing back at the teacher, Brooke watches in amazement as he nods his head, eagerly wanting more from the young blonde in the third row. Pausing briefly, Lucas turned and looked straight towards the popular fashionista, their eyes locking momentarily. His misty blues sparkled somewhat, catching the cheerleader by surprise. Deja-vu swept through her as she gazed upon his eyes. They had caught her off guard a few nights prior as well, her lips suddenly tingling at the memory. _Did he have a special brand of contacts or something?_

"To a man that lacks virtue, the concept is threatening. Adam seeks to destroy what he feels he can not have. That is the example of envy of virtue."

"_-cuh -Loser - cuh." _

Sniggers erupted around him as a couple of jocks from the back row coughed out the word. Turning to glare at them, Brooke stared them down as the bell rang around them, chairs scraping across the linoleum floor as bodies scooted out of the room. Barreling into the filled corridor, Brooke weaved between bodies of laughing students before reaching out a tiny hand and pulling at a broad shoulder. Her touch caused him to stop instantly, Lucas' eyes falling on her once again as he turned to face her. They were filled with confusion, albeit intrigued confusion.

"Hey," her voice was raspy, subtly sexy. "What was _that _in there?"

"I was answering a question." The words spilled from the boys mouth as easily as he had answered the teacher. Leaning against the cool metal of the lockers, the brooding blonde looked at the gorgeous brunette to see if his answer would suffice.

Brooke's shoulders slumped slightly at his reply, her Coach clutch dangling precariously from her creamy shoulder. "Yeah, I saw that. What I mean is, you're a jock. Isn't it obligatory that you earn your grades through sport?"

It was an obvious assumption. He had carried the stigma around his entire life. Even without the aura of being legendary Dan Scott's bastard child, Lucas had always been pigeonholed as a dumb jock who got through life on the talent that coursed through his athletic body. Of course people assumed he would be a carbon-copy of his popular brother. Yet the two boys had been raised differently. Lucas had come from a sole-parent and Karen had worked her ass off his entire life. She was righteous, courteous and kind-hearted. She believed in an honest day's work and reaping the rewards of a job well done. He had never been allowed to rest on his laurels and glide through school. She had fought long and hard to give him a decent education so that he could have choices in his life because one day, _as she had often told him_, basketball may no longer be an option. And then what? No, Lucas was not the regular jock everything assumed him to be.

_He was something else entirely._

"Not everyone is built the same way as Nathan, Brooke."

Flaxen lashes battered north then south, innocent and beautiful. "Sorry, guess I figured the same DNA meant similar _other-things_."

Sighing, the brooding blonde gave her a fleeting look. "Sorry to disappoint you." Stepping past her, he began to make his way down the hall again. Bodies whizzed by as students talked animatedly about subjects he could care less about. He was more than happy to live through the day in a transitory state.

Shame the bubbling cheerleader behind him didn't get the memo. Pencil-thin arms snaked around his arm and pulled him backwards, defiant eyes daring him to look at her. She was feistier than Rachel, and that was saying something. He could imagine just how heated those tryouts were going to be, but truth be told he was more than a little surprised that she was still even attempting to converse with him. This was the legendary Brooke Davis. _Sinful, sassy and __**sexy**__._ Looking down at her, Lucas agreed with every single word. She was the head girl of Tree Hill High and probably shouldn't have been seen chatting with the new riff-raff that had just invaded their school. But yet here she was, standing right before him.

"Look, I didn't mean it that way." Grunting, pert lips smacked together to rub the cherry goodness across the skin. Tilting her head to the side, she continued on. "Are you always such a dick to people that are trying to have a conversation with you?"

Nerves had never been a problem for him, but today she was illiciting something he hadn't felt in a while. _Challenged_. "Do you always tell people you randomly kiss that you hate them?"

"It was a dare."

"Which part? The kiss or the admission of hate?" He questioned her the same he would Rachel, defensive in a way. Like he needed to know the answer. _Damn brunette_.

"The _kiss_." Flustered, her cheeks flashed the same rouge they had but five minutes before when questioned by the teacher. _He had flustered her_. That surprised him considering her reputation of being a no-holds-barred ball-buster. Stranger still, was the growing satisfaction he felt in the pit of his stomach at her reaction. Feeling his gaze on her, she watched as his lips curled slightly in a happy grin. "Whatever, you need to get over it!"

"Like I said, not like all the other jocks here."

_Da-dum. Da-dum_. His gaze began to melt her icy veneer. "I can see that." The words stopped then, echoes of voices disappearing into the distance as the hallways emptied. Standing before each other, thick hands grabbed hold of the strap that lay strewn across one shoulder carelessly. When she still didn't speak he cleared his throat, eyes opening slightly in question.

"Is there something else you wanted?"

_Bam_. Back to reality. Time to concentrate. "As a matter of fact, yes. I need a tutor."

"You want me to tutor you?" His tone made it more than abundantly clear the young cheerleader had taken him by surprise. Now it was her turn to be pleased.

Delicately, a tiny hand shot out and sent a tuft of chocolate locks cascading behind slim shoulders. "Well you seem smart enough and I'm flunking English and well, yes. Why not?"

"Because you hate me?"

Oh right, she had forgotten about that part. Shrugging her shoulders, Brooke didn't let it deter her from what she wanted. _Her ultimate goal._ "Isn't literature all about tortured love-hate crap anyway? Maybe it could work to our advantage?"

"Or maybe you could just go to the tutor center like everybody else?" At least then she could become Haley's problem and he wouldn't have to deal with the wrath of Rachel. Not that he had given her a single thought that weekend. He was still pissed about the image of her lips all over his dickhead younger brother.

"And have the whole school know about it in a day?" Alarmed, Brooke shook her head ferociously at the thought of everyone knowing her academic ability. "No. I've chosen you. End of discussion."

"Are you always this bossy?"

Delicate features wrinkled in confusion at his question. _Wasn't it obvious?_ "Yes. So how does seven sound?"

"I have to work."

"That's fine. I can meet you at your Mum's little cafe, no big deal." It was apparent she wasn't going to take no for an answer, but even more so, she knew more about him than he had even realized

"How do you know about that?" Pulling at the strap of his backpack once more, the blonde basketballer gazed downwards in confusion.

"I asked around." Thumping ominously, his heart began to race at the confession. She had asked about him? Warmth flooded his entire body at her words and he could feel a sense of happiness flow through him again. _Not that he would ever show her that._ The delicious scent of strawberry filled his senses as she stepped a little closer, the fumes slightly intoxicating. It was mesmerizing and deliciously seductive. "So seven? I will see you then?"

_Yes, you will. I'll be there looking like a poor bus boy while you parade inside looking like a goddess from some Canadian television super-show. _"I'm not promising anything."

"I never asked you to. See you later tonight, Broody."

She skipped away from him then, plump cheeks bouncing beneath skin-tight jeans as she disappeared. Lucas couldn't help it – she definitely intrigued him and caused his mind to whirl around in aimless circles. Plus, he kinda liked the nickname. _Broody._

_See you later, Cheery._

**x~X~x**

"So, _you and Nathan?_"

Peyton Sawyer stared at her untied ivory shoelaces in the girls locker room, the steady hum of her fellow cheerleaders echoing around her as they got themselves ready for practice. Thin, blonde curls brushed the tips of bronzed shoulders like paintbrush whiskers tickling a blank canvas. Hazel orbs blinked twice, shielded by eyelashes blackened from mascara. The black and blue cheerleading uniform clung to her body perfectly, sliding down her slender frame and accentuating her enviable figure. Reacting to the raspy tones of her best friend, the leggy blonde finished with her shoelace and gazed up at a curious brunette, Brooke landing onto the oak bench beside her and sliding close.

The scent of field strawberries enveloped the pair, the co-captain's features taking on a serious expression. Highlighted by the emerald shadow that lay painted on her eyelids, brightened orbs lay trained on her extremely quiet friend. Even without knowing her like the back of her hand, Brooke Davis would have been able to see the funk Peyton had slid into. Hunched shoulders, scathing looks and muted silence made it more than obvious to anyone within a five-mile radius that the fiery blonde was not having the best of days. Add that to the numerous amount of unanswered phone calls over the weekend and you had a girl in desperate need of venting.

_Or punching something._

"What about me and Nathan?"

Sharp, her words came out with more bite than a great white shark. Alas, a decade of friendship equipped the young fashion-crazy brunette with ample experience in dealing with such snark. Inching closer still, flaxen lashes battered north then south. Tiny hands reached out and held Peyton's hand as it gripped the edge of the bench seat.

"Come on, P. Sawyer," the brunette urged her friend, her thumb rubbing gently across the top of blonde's hand. "You have been silent all day and every time that boyfriend of yours appears within ten feet you're barreling off in the other direction!"

Trust Brooke to come up with such a statement. Turning her body to face her friend, Peyton drew in a deep breath. Emerald orbs glanced back at her expectantly. It was the look that only meant one thing – she was going to talk. Normally content with bottling everything inside, Brooke had to practically drag valuable information out of her best friend.

"I don't know what to think of him anymore," tiny hands pulled at the fabric that stretched across creamy thighs. "One minute he's nice, the next he's a complete monster." Glistening, tears pushed forth to the brim of unwilling eyes. "And the night of the bonfire seemed particularly cruel."

_Which part?_ Gazing at her broken friend, the chocolate-haired head girl thought back on the night's events. Mixed in with the memories of tequila shots and cheer chants, beach football and skinny-dipping, were the undeniable snippets of a game gone horribly wrong.

"So, he kissed Rachel," words strung together, obviously meant to ease. "So what? Word has it she was a _**mega**_-slut at her old school and so this really isn't out of character for her."

"And him?" Insistent, Peyton knew her words held merit. Even if Rachel was cheerleader by day, _super-whore _by night, that didn't absolve the blonde's wayward boyfriend from his part in the game. A game he played so perfectly well it was clear he got a kick out of it. "There is no excuse for what he did. What he always does. I'm sick to death of putting up with it!"

"It meant _nothing_," eyebrows raised up and eyes opened wide. "A stupid little kiss that meant absolutely nothing."

"Is that so?" Head tilting to the side, blonde curls danced as they moved. "And so the kiss you shared with Lucas meant absolutely nothing also?"

Darkened lashes fluttered open as a formidable lump crawled up the fashionista's throat. Losing her breath, she choked the new few words out. "Absolutely nothing. It was just a dare!"

For a few moments, the duo sat in silence. Only the repeated thumps and clumps of dumped bags and excited gossiping permeated the air around them. Where Brooke was good at reading Peyton, the fiery blonde was equally capable of returning the favor. Arching pencil-thin eyebrows, arms folded across her chest.

"If it was just a dare why did we spend the entire car ride home discussing the ins-and-outs of Lucas Scott and his kissing technique ad-neauseum_?_"

"Exaggerate much?" Brooke shrugged her off. Around them the last remaining cheerleaders exited the change room, the ominous sounds of whistles and bouncing basketballs echoing from the gym outside. "Besides, this isn't about my kiss with Luke – _it's about that stupid whore Rachel and your boyfriend!_"

"I'm not a whore!"

"Umm, hello!" Standing to her feet, Brooke snapped at her new co-captain. Arms folded delicately across their chests as both girl's stood their ground. "This is a private conversation."

"Well, when I hear two bitches talking trash about me-"

Excuse me? Who did this bitch think she was? _Time for the redhead to learn her place!_

"What did you just say?" Inching closer, razor-sharp daggers shot from angry, emerald orbs. Getting to her feet, Peyton stood behind Brooke, a delicate hand reaching out and clasping around the captain's wrist. "Because I know you didn't just make the mistake of calling me and my best friend a bitch!"

Both girls glared at one-another as the tension reached boiling point. The resentment between the two had been a long time coming and the redhead was not about to back down now. She had worked far too hard to get herself in such a position. So what if she kissed Nathan? It was a party and shit happens. "If the shoe fits."

"Oh hell no," Stepping forward, Brooke growled as Peyton tried desperately to hold her back. "Whore you best shut your mouth!"

"Walk away now," Peyton demanded, throwing Rachel a look of contempt. "I mean it, walk away!"

"Don't you be calling me a whore, _slut!_"

Whack! Pulling out from Peyton's tight grip, Brooke lashed out at the arrogant redhead and sent her flying backwards. Exploding on impact, Rachel's cheek burst into painful flames. The cold metal of the locker behind her sunk through her uniform and hit her shoulder blades uncomfortably. Heavy breaths expelled from pert lips as she registered hat had just happened, the redhead taking a mere five seconds before she was up and charging at the brunette in a fit of rage.

_Whack! **Thud!** Smack!_

Balled fists flew in all different directions as the girls grabbed at one-another amidst shouts of profanity. Screams of agony circled the air as hair was pulled, nails were broken and blood was drawn. Lashing out, Brooke could feel the weightless body of her arch-rival and pushed forward, Rachel falling backwards through the double-doors that led to the gym.

"Fuck you whore!"

"Shut the hell up, you slut!"

"Brooke!" Calling out behind the dueling co-captains, Peyton waved her arms at the stunned students who were currently inside the gym. Rolling around the the basketball court, screams echoed throughout the gymnasium like an angered chorus. Thick soles pounded the court as the basketball team raced over, a multitude of hands reaching out and grabbing hold of the screaming brunette and the hysterical redhead. Suddenly, Brooke could feel the warmth of thick arms wrapping around her body like a python, dragging her backwards. Tiny fists lashed out into the air hitting at nothing. Brooke was barely able to control herself as she felt her tiny feet lifted into the air.

"Let go of me!"

Miniscule fists hit downwards on the arms that held her. With each thump the cheerleader grunted, showing her discontent. A familiar flash of blonde hair entered her vision and she finally noticed Lucas was the one who had her in a hold. Pulling her off of his ranting girlfriend, the brooding genius-slash-jock was holding her as close to him as he could get her, her scent intoxicating once more.

"Get your hands off of my girl, loser!" Bounding across the court, thick hands reached out and pulled at Brooke. Dropping his hold on her, Lucas watched as Felix got in his face, nostrils flaring. Thick, burly arms pulled the brunette behind him protectively. Or was it possessively?

"Shut up, Felix," Angry, the brunette began to regain her composure. Shuddering breaths expelled from perfect lips as Brooke glared at Rachel from behind her burly boyfriend. "He's not the problem. It's that whore-girlfriend of his!"

"I said stop calling me a who-"

"Or what?" Brooke fired back at the raving cheerleader, unabashed and unapologetic. "You'll do more than kiss my best friend's boyfriend next time?"

"Better than sleeping my way through the entire school population!" Rachel growled, stepping forward as hands held her back. It was at this pint that Brooke noticed the gangling musician that was always by Lucas' side. His arms wrapped around Rachel's wrists, pulling her backwards with more force than seemed possible considering his lanky appearance. Chris Keller. She remembered him as the musician who was often seen gazing at Peyton even though she was well out of his league and not even remotely interested. As the brunette cheerleader looked at him she noticed, thick leather straps wrapped around his own wrists, obviously some sort of emo-statement. Maybe he was more like Peyton than she originally though? Either way, Brooke didn't care. In her mind, Chris was doing his job for now and that was all that mattered.

"Enough!" Pushing himself into the middle of the circle, Nathan glared at both girls and then finally turned his attention to his brother. "Lucas, damn it, can't you even _manage_ your own woman?" Felix's booming laughter echoed throughout the gym then as he fist pumped Nathan, all the while making sure his own girlfriend was positioned behind him. "I mean Jesus, your retarded best friend is the one holding her back – haven't you got the power to do it yourself?"

"What did you say?" Venomous, his words were smothered in anger. Stepping forward, Lucas went toe-to-toe with his younger sibling, unafraid by the fact that he was outnumbered at least twenty-to-one. _The kid had balls_.

Thick hands reached out and pushed on the brooder's chest, another round of taunting that was sure to end in yet another brawl. "You heard me. Get your female under control before she embarrasses you any further."

"He's not the one that should be embarrassed." Stepping up to face her boyfriend, Peyton stood between the raven-haired jock and his older sibling. Whispers erupted around them, Peyton more defiant than usual. It made Nathan's blood boil, the way she was publicly defying him.

"What's this?" Laughing, Nathan stepped backwards but it was more than obvious that her uprising had rattled him. "Standing up for the poor, defenseless Scott, are we?"

Snap. Whatever it as inside of her, whatever rope that tied her to Nathan had finally broken. He was nothing more than a bully. A jerk who got off on making other people feel miserable about themselves. He was just as selfish as his father and had she not cared so much about him she would have kicked him in the balls well before now. Perhaps it simply took a change in the tides to put things back into perspective.

_To see people for who they really were_.

"Better than standing side-by-side with an asshole like you!" Turning to look at Lucas, the blonde grabbed walked away from the arguing circle towards the cinder blocks that housed her gym bag. Reaching down and picking up her belongings, the blonde placed her hands on her hips and watched as Lucas and Chris followed suit, much to the dismay of Rachel. Grabbing their bags, the three watched as Nathan stood fuming, a long finger pointing outwards as he growled at his girlfriend from the middle of the court.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You leave with them and you and I are done."

A threat. _Like it mattered anymore_. Done seemed like a good place to be.

"Goodbye Nathan."

The gymnasium flooring squealed beneath her sneakers as the blonde made her way towards the swinging doors, Chris and Lucas following suit as the three teens made their way out of the gym, never once looking back.

"Grab the stuff," Nathan growled at Felix, cerulean orbs trained on the door as the defender darted off to grab their bags. Breathing heavily, the dominant basketball captain vowed under his breath that his brother would pay for this. Taking his team was one thing, but walking out with his girl? It was never going to fly. Fists clenched angrily as the younger Scott stormed out of the gymnasium and directly into the path of an on-coming body.

_Thwack._

Landing against hard abdominals, the honey-haired girl gasped slightly at the contact and then looked up. Books scattered across the pavement around them, a slightly-annoyed grumble escaping her lips as the young girl bent down to retrieve them. Darting out, her hand landing on top of another, the two stopping for a moment before looking straight at each other.

"Sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Shaking her head slightly, the book-carrying student stumbled backwards and clutched her books in her hands. She held them close to her chest as Nathan smiled upon her, his eyes a magnificent color of deep blue that she had never seen before. Shaking herself to break the gaze, light feet side-stepped the basketball hero and made hr way down the path, Nathan jogging to keep up. He slid before her again, this time the girl verbalizing her annoyance.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Reaching out, Nathan placed the last book on top of her large pile and grinned. "You forgot one."

"Thanks," came the mumbled response, the girl darting around the stunningly gorgeous basketballer and making her way towards the car park once more. The sound of footsteps came up behind Nathan and he could feel the weight of his gym bag hit his shoulders, Felix grunting a little and following his leader's gaze.

"Anytime Haley!"

They both watched as the lone book-hugging figure turn around once more, Haley looking at Nathan in confusion. A slight blush filled her cheeks as she noticed his eyes on hr, tripping over her own feet clumsily before darting away. Nathan smiled and chuckled slightly to himself, turning to see a grinning Felix gazing down at him. Clearly, his buddy wanted in on the joke.

"I think I've just found the best way to get to my brother," came the arrogant reply, Nathan nodding his head towards Haley as she handed her books to Lucas and the pair slid into Chris' car. Roaring to life, the engine started and the threesome made their way out of the parking lot. Gazing over at Nathan as they passed, Haley stared for a moment before turning away, her look only cementing the idea that was forming in the basketballer's overworked mind. If stealing Rachel wasn't going to be enough to get at Lucas then he was going to go for the one girl that would.

_Haley James. _

**x~X~x**

And another chapter has arrived. I have to admit, I am really enjoying this story. I always wanted to see more of season 1 Nathan and it had been really fun writing him this way. Also, it's been crazy writing all these different pairings and I'm really happy that so many of you are enjoying Chris and Peyton. I really adore them and it's nice to see people can see their potential. As always, a special thanks has to go to the following people for taking the time to review my fic:

**dianehermans** – I love Brucas too and I am glad you liked the kiss. Things are only just beginning for these two!

**CoolKeller23 **– Hope you like the next update. I think part of Peyton's decisions in this chapter are reflective of her changing attitude, which in part is because of Chris. Haley's story is just beginning, so stay tuned!

**EmmaJoie** – Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad there is another Chris/Peyton convert out there. Who do you normally ship on OTH? Can you believe it's ending? Hope you liked the update!

**DANI OTH** – Hello friend! cannot believe you are liking Peyton. This is a miracle. Damn, my writing must be okay after all lol. Must be the dumpster vibe? LOL.

**Gosal11444** – And voila – Nathan dumped. Only this may not be the end because now he has a score to settle. I enjoy writing Nathan this way and I hope you enjoyed this update! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Tutourgirl23 **– Thanks for the review. I hope the beach party aftermath was equally as good. Haley is about to have a story involving Nathan so I'm pretty sure you will like what's coming up.

**sunshine** – Hello gorgeous! I am so glad you enjoyed the Brucas scene. Their story is about to evolve and I thought it was a good benchmark to have her loyalties tested to show her true character. I think describing the instant attraction between them and the confusion about where to go from here will be fun to write. Hopefully I can pull it off. Isn't Chris just a darling? He wasn't seen much in this chapter but he's around. Obviously in the next chapter, he will become more prominent considering the ending! Yes, Taylor was mentioned at the beginning and she is going to be in the story – but when the opportunity presents itself. There was a reason for the name drop in the beginning and when she finally does appear it will all make sense. Hope you enjoyed the update and thanks so much for your review!

**nena **– Chris in my fic, is a true heart. I love the way he sees more of Peyton than even what she sees in herself. She will of course be in denial because there are so many factors that push her to believe what she does, but slowly these beliefs will be shattered and she will start reevaluating her ideas on life. Lucas' feelings regarding Brooke will become more apparent as the story evolves and now that they are on a path to being around each other he may have to start dealing with certain feelings sooner rather than later. At the moment, he is content with trying to keep his head down and just survive high school. Of course, Nathan will do his best to make that an impossibility. Also, Brooke and Rachel were bound to erupt – and eruption has occurred. This will not be the end for these two. Even though they stayed behind with Nathan and the rest of the crew, they are far from on the same side. Especially when Lucas become entangled between them. Hope you enjoyed the update and thanks for the review!

Also, a big thank you to everyone who read, favorited and alerted this fic. It means more than you'll ever know!

_Until next time - much love and god bless,_

_Chrissy_

_xox_


	8. Not Always What They Seem

**AN: **Heavy Naley/Brucas chapter. I promise Chris/Peyton will be in the next chapter.** PLEASE REVIEW!** My stories haven't been doing well lately and I'd like to think it's not because they are boring… tell me what you think!

_- C_

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

"_Things are not always what they seem;_

_the first appearance deceives many;_

_the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden."_

_Phaedrus_

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 8: Not Always What They Seem**

It was not a great start to the morning!

A cool, crisp breeze blew through Tree Hill High, scattering leaves across the cement. Brilliant green danced their way in front of a pair of frantic, oncoming feet. Glancing down at her watch, Haley let out a quick gasp as she noticed the time. She had never overslept and now she was late for her first tutoring session since the schools had merged.

_This was a terrible way to endear herself to her new tutor colleagues!_

Her mind raced at the thought of it all. With such negative commotion since the schools came together, it was hard for the young girl to imagine the reaction she would get from new, flunking students. Obviously they needed her help – they were failing for a reason – but would they kindly receive it? She doubted it very much and the thought had been churning within her for the past couple of days. How the hell was she supposed to get people who barely knew her not only to listen to her but to learn from her as well?

Ugh, she was going to vomit… _but she was late so it would have to wait_.

Tiny hands punched open the large front doors of the school and the Haley burst into the empty hallway. It was barely past seven in the morning and yet she was racing around the educational precinct like it was a Nascar track. Her feet skidded as she sped along and the ground squeaked noisily beneath her cheap flats. She cared not for designer clothing or fancy make-up. In fact, Haley could hardly remember the last time she bought something that didn't have a sale tag attached to it. The jeans she wore today were faded and the sweater that adorned her was a hand-me-down from her older sister Quinn. She would much rather spend her money on a good book and a mug of coffee.

Luckily for her, working at the café of her best friend's mother gave her the latter for free on most days.

Sliding down the final hallway, Haley breathed a silent sigh of relief when her eyes landed on the Tutor Centre sign. _Thank god_! Clasping her hands beneath her book, she angled her body so that her right shoulder was facing the door and she pushed it open. Inside there was Mr Matthews, a greying fifty-something history teacher who was well-liked by the students. Probably because he believed in giving everyone a fair go and for the entire time she had known him, he'd never said a cross word to anyone. Plus, Haley admired the way he gave up so much of his time to ensure the tutor centre was available as a service. He was probably the only thing she had liked about her transfer into hell.

_He inspired her to want to do more with her time._

"Haley," the teacher smiled as he walked over with her latest forms. "It's good to see you."

"Sorry I'm late," she replied, cheeks flushing slightly in embarrassment. "It won't happen again."

Mr Matthews chuckled then, a warm and inviting sound. Haley imagined it would be the way Santa Claus sounded if she ever met him.

"Haley, in all the time I've known you _being on time_ is something you're so good at that I think you're allowed to have the odd slip-up every now and again." Smiling, he stretched out his hand and pointed towards her first session. "You're challenge awaits you."

Challenge? _Ha!_ She loved a challenge.

Haley smiled as she walked around the teacher, quickly glancing over the study material that needed to be covered as she made her way down the aisle between the classroom desks. _English. World History. Chemistry. Algebra. Geometry._ Hazel orbs absorbed the information as fast as possible. _Extra credit required_. She shook her head, wondering how on earth this student was allowed to slip so far behind? He was in need of serious help! Gathering her thoughts, Haley took a quick breath and hastily made her way over to the seat in front of the student she hadn't even looked at yet.

"Hi there," she smiled and finally looked up, eyes landing on a face she didn't expect to see.

"Hello."

_Nathan Scott._

_Oh holy shit!_

Sheer surprise took over her body then and she was unable to speak. Her words caught in her mouth and choked there, barely audible _blrrps _and _uhs_ coming out like jibberish. He smiled at her as she stammered before him, a broad beaming row of white teeth that no doubt ensured the maximum amount of female attention assaulting her line of sight. For Haley however, it had the complete opposite effect.

"Is that what the English language sounds like? _Hmpf_, guess that's why I'm failing."

Haley didn't move, her right eyebrow arching north as she glared at him. Suddenly, her ability to function as a normal human being had returned and she promptly packed up the books in front of her and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Standing to her feet, Haley stepped passed the shocked basketballer and made her way over to the empty teacher's desk. In five minutes Mr Matthews would no doubt return and she could pass on this subject to someone else. She was not, under any circumstances, going to help the cretin who had been making her best friend's life a living hell.

_He deserved nothing._

"Wait up, I actually need the help!"

Pulling his bag to his shoulder, Nathan sauntered over to Haley and leaned against the desk beside her. She refused to look at him, a move that only made him smile. She was feisty and secretly that was something her loved about girls. Sure, it was cool to have the majority of them fawn all over him and put out whenever he needed it – but they were boring. There was no thrill of the chase. The feisty ones though, they proved to be more interesting.

"Come on, Hales."

"Don't call me that!" Barking the words at him, she shocked herself a little with the venom they carried. His eyes opened slightly in shock however the moment was fleeting, and soon he was smiling down at her all over again. God, he was so incredibly arrogant.

"What should I call you then?"

"Nothing," Haley replied, turning away from him once more. She was in no mood to listen to the school bully.

"Well _Nothing_," Nathan replied, smiling as she turned around to bark at him once more. "As you can see, I am flunking most classes and I need to get my grades up in order to be able to play."

"Well perhaps you should have thought about that before you decided to take the easy way out." Folding her arms across her chest, Haley stepped forward in a daring move. Where had this sudden strength come from? She was usually terrified to talk to boys, let alone verbally insult them. And Nathan Scott of all people?

"Easy," the younger Scott scoffed at her adjective, shaking his head as if to say she couldn't have been more wrong. "You call waking up at four-am every day to train for three hours, then coming to school to train some more, then going home and putting hours at the gym and dealing with my father _easy?_" He stepped back, raising his hands into the air defensively. "Wow, I'd like to see what you call hard Haley because where I come from, what I do sure as hell ain't easy and as you can see, it doesn't leave a whole lotta time to learn."

"You chose to play basketball," Haley replied, firing back at him although she did feel a touch of guilt hit her. She couldn't back down now though.

"Lucas managed to get _A_s, play basketball and work a part-time job at his mother's café. Why is it that he can manage to fit school in but you can't, hmm?"

It was a low blow, comparing him to his brother. The truth was, Lucas was abnormal. Somehow the boy had managed to receive every good gene from both of his parents and none of the bad ones. From where Haley stood, Nathan had managed to get the talent and the cockiness from his father. He was almost like a defect in her eyes and she wouldn't stand there and let him use basketball as an excuse for not getting an education, especially when she knew someone who was managing to do all of it.

"Why can he do it?" Nathan fired back, his quiet reaction not the angry reply she was expecting. Nathan shrugged, breathing out slowly before cerulean orbs hit her with the force of a hurricane. "He doesn't live with Dan."

Haley fell silent then, unsure what to say. She knew Lucas hadn't lost any sleep over not having Dan as a father. The guy was a tyrant who only cared about winning. _Arrogant, pretentious and cruel._ Plus, he was the world's worst father. Haley had thought Lucas was always better off without him and most people agreed. But she had never stopped to think about the other side of the coin. What it might be like for Nathan, who was stuck with Dan. Haley just assumed he was exactly like his father but something in his voice told her differently.

"Look, I get that you're pissed at me over what happened with Lucas. I get that you're being loyal and that's cool. I can respect that. But if I don't get these grades up then I'm going to fail and everything I have worked so hard for my entire life will be in jeopardy." Reaching out, Nathan grabbed onto Haley's hand as it leaned against the edge of the desk.

"Please, I need your help… isn't that what you're here for?"

He was right. That was exactly what Haley was there for and exactly what she had promised to do when she joined the tutoring team. Yet Lucas would be devastated if he found out that she had been forced to help his one-loathed enemy. She could feel the warmth of his skin as it touched hers and she pulled her hand away, the look of defeat slightly entering his worried eyes.

"You leave Lucas lone."

"Huh?" Nathan titled his head to the side, questioning her.

"I will help you – but you leave Lucas the hell alone or so help-me-god Nathan, I will make sure you fail!"

Nathan looked down towards his shoes and thought her request over. Clearly it was a huge deal. He hated his brother and wanted him out of his life but how could he do that if he couldn't even get at him? Fuck, this was going to be harder than he thought!

"Deal," he relied, bringing his eyes up to meet Haley's. "So what now?"

"Now? The first world war," she replied, swiftly shuffling past him and landing in a nearby seat. "Sit."

**x~X~x**

The day had dragged on like a burning candle set to twelve-hours. Through an endless wave of teacher's voices, idle gossip and cheering routines Brooke Davis had managed to survive the day relatively unscathed. The truth was the young brunette was excited. She had tried to convince herself all day that the mysterious older-Scott was a no-go-zone and that she felt nothing for him. She had even managed to avoid him for three-quarters of the day, taking the long way to class so that she wouldn't run the risk of bumping into him. But it was all in vain. He had cornered her in the afternoon to see if they were still on for a tutoring session and when she nodded her head numbly, the unmistakable feeling of butterflies crept into the pit of her stomach once more.

Damn it. What the hell was he doing to her?

She was Brook Davis after all. She didn't get jittery over anyone – except maybe Henry Cavil when she was watching a sexy episode of _The Tudors_. And Lucas Scott was no Henry Cavil. But damn it, there was something about him.

Turning, the brunette social queen looked at herself in her rear-vision mirror. She was late but she had done so on purpose. She liked to make an entrance and so spending a few extra minutes straightening her hair and applying cheery-gloss to her perfect lips was time well spent. No one had ever accused Brooke of not looking good and tonight was going to be no exception. Taking her tiny purse into her hands, she grabbed the folder that lay sprawled across her passenger seat and climbed out of the car.

A wolf-whistle erupted as soon as she did so.

"Hey Davis," came a smooth greeting, Brooke turning to find Nathan standing before her. "Got a hot date?"

"No," came the immediate reply, her shocking speed catching the younger-Scott by surprise. He sent her a confused look, cerulean orbs glancing up and down her body to take her in. Clad in tight jeans and an even tighter top that accentuated her best figure, Brooke looked amazing. It was hard to believe she wasn't on a date. Folding his arms across his chest, Nathan looked down at her questioningly.

"Spill."

"There's nothing to spill." With a quick flick of her wrist, Brooke shooed away his assumptions. "New clothes is all."

"Have you seen Peyton? I need to speak with her."

Brooke shook her head, chocolate locks falling loosely over her creamy shoulders. "Not since lunch. She cut out early because she said she had something to do."

Nathan shook his head, exhaling deeply as he did so. Brooke could tell it was frustrating for him that Peyton wouldn't relent on their break-up. They had gotten together and broken up so many times that everyone had thought this time would be no different. But something had happened to her best friend over the last couple of weeks. She had changed – grown tired of lots of things. Brooke could tell that Peyton's heart just wasn't in it anymore. Standing before Nathan, she had no idea what to say though and they fell into an awkward silence.

"Well, I guess I better get home. Dad will be wondering where I am."

"Sure," Brooke smiled, stepping passed him. "See you in school tomorrow."

"Yeah," came the nonchalant reply, Nathan turning around and walking away without another word. Looking down at her phone, Brooke squealed a little as she looked at the time. Racing down the main street, she slowed upon reaching the café and straightened herself up and threw a quick hand through her luscious locks.

Now or never.

The tiny bell rang as she opened the heavy door, a cute tinkling sound spreading throughout the tiny café. Brooke's eyes traversed the scene before her. Small chairs surrounded tables and a large wall depicted a world map. The cheerleader gazed at all the countries she'd been too and realised although there were many, she'd barely studied them. The thought made her frown.

"You're late."

Startled, Brooke let out a short gasp and turned on her heels. Standing before her was Lucas, dressed in casual khakis and a blue t-shirt. Even in clothing that probably came from a lower-end department store, he still looked good. Brooke shook away the thought, urging herself to concentrate.

"Sorry," she replied, sending him the million-dollar smile that would make any man's heart melt on the spot. "I had trouble finding a park."

It was a lame excuse but he relented slightly. Blue eyes flickered as he watched her and she couldn't help but lightly bite down on her bottom lip. He stiffened a little in front of her and her inner goddess rejoiced at his obvious reaction to that one tiny movement.

_Note to self: Bite lower lip more!_

"Shall we get started?" Leading her over to a corner booth, Lucas opened his hand to show her to her seat. The tiny booth in the corner was set up, complete with drinks. Brooke had to admit, she was slightly impressed. She slid onto the cool leather and straightened her back, glancing over at him as he dropped down across from her.

"So, _how do you like it?_"

Choking on the juice she had brought to her lips, Brooke green orbs flew open in surprise as Lucas looked upon her in confusion.

"What did you just ask me?"

"I asked if we need to study _As You Like It?_ You know, the literary assignment we have on this text is due next week."

Brooke could feel her cheeks flush with heat as she realised her completely embarrassing mistake. What the hell had gotten into her today? Clearing her throat, she looked down at the folder she had with her and nodded her head, a small smile forming on Lucas' lips. He was enjoying her lack of confidence here.

She could swim in his baby blues.

"Okay," Lucas laughed softly, bringing some water to his lips and taking a quick drink. "By putting on male clothes and adopting a masculine swagger, Rosalind easily passes as a man throughout the better part of the play."

Brooke shook her head in disgust causing Lucas to pause and look at her. A hint of sweetness wafted across his senses and it took all his might to stop himself from leaning in closer God, she smelled good.

"Can you imagine it? She must have looked hideous."

Lucas smiled again, trying his best to remain serious. It was so hard with a carefree spirit like Brooke. She was the complete opposite of Haley who was all seriousness. And Rachel… well he had done his best to avoid her calls.

"That's not really the point though," the basketballer interjected, leaning across the table and pointing to Brooke's notes. "It's not a question of what she looks like in those clothes but more _why _she actually wears them. What does her behavior suggest about gender? Does the play imply that notions of gender are fixed or fluid?"

Brooke stared at him and tilted her head to the side. She shook her head, smiling slightly as he looked at her.

"You're really into books, huh Broody?"

Lucas' lips curled slightly at the corners, a smile trying to force its way out. Her eyes lit up when she looked at him and he could tell she just radiated inner cheer. She was beautiful. But even though there were a million perks for being able to sit across the table from social queen Brooke Davis, it was evident to Lucas that he was wasting him time. Clearly, she hadn't read the text and they would get nowhere until she had done so. He shook his head and stood to his feet, sliding out of the booth as she gazed up at him in confusion.

"Brooke, why don't you come back when you've read the book so that we don't waste each other's time, okay?"

Again, her cheeks flushed crimson. Who the hell was he to treat her like a child? Torn momentarily between her strange need to impress him and her desire to keep her reputation in tack, Brooke Davis did the one thing she had vowed never to do in public.

"Listen buddy," she growled, Lucas turning towards her in shock. Emerald orbs gleamed at him and Lucas swore they were the most perfect gems he'd ever seen. Even fiery and ready to pounce, the brunette cheerleader was still the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"For your information, Rosalind's behavior suggests that she knows better than anyone else that her society makes different demands of men and women. For instance, she knows that, when dressed as Ganymede, she is forbidden from crying over a perceived slight from Orlando. Likewise, something as simple as a "doublet and hose"—her male disguise—stops her from celebrating the discovery that Orlando has authored love poems in her honor. Indeed, as the clothes make the man, they also make the woman act like one."

Lucas gazed at Brooke in shock, the brunette grabbing her folder into her tight grip and glaring at him.

"To Elizabethans, the fundamental divide between the sexes may have been as much a matter of external expressions of behavior and clothing as of anatomy. On one hand, this conception made gender a much more _fluid_ notion than it is to many modern audiences. Codes of behavior were more a matter of mimicry than a function of chromosomal makeup, which Rosalind shows as she plays a swaggering young man imitating a woman."

The café fell silent. All eyes on Lucas and waiting for his response, a few patrons smirking at the look of complete astonishment that had saturated his features. But what the hell could he say to that? He had assumed to know the inner workings of Brooke Davis and he was both shocked as hell and internally pleased that he was wrong.

"Brooke, I uh…"

"On the other hand, this _fluidity_ caused a great deal of anxiety among Elizabethans, who, in the end, wanted very much to believe that the categories that organized their world were stable. Thus, they insisted that certain behaviors and customs were established by one's sex. Women might pretend to be men for a brief and entertaining moment, but they must, in the end, behave like women. Rosalind eases the anxieties surrounding her very deft performance by reverting, time and again, to the behaviors expected of her as a woman: to the Elizabethan mind, she would be a much more troubling character if she did not faint at the sight of Orlando's blood. Although gender proves to be completely undefined in the Forest of Ardenne, everyone is returned to his or her supposedly proper place by the final act."

A few sniggers erupted around them and Brooke's cheeks flushed with pink. _Why had she done that? _Hastily, she grabbed all her belongings and darted for the door, the chunky wedges clicking against the cement as she propelled herself forward. She has almost reached her car when she felt a warm hand grip her shoulder. Spinning her around, Lucas looked deeply into Brooke's eyes as if he were trying to solve a riddle.

"What was that in there?"

Brooke shrugged, feigning indifference. "Nothing."

"Why do you do that?" His hand still rested on her shoulder and she could feel her heart quicken as she felt him there. "Why do you pretend you need help and act like you're not all that bright?"

"Perhaps I'm not," she fired back, wanting nothing more than to climb into her car and forget that past three minutes of her life.

"With what you just slapped me in the face with back there, you could've fooled me."

"That's the point, isn't it? _To fool everyone_. We all have our parts to play, Lucas. In the end, we end up in the roles that were meant for us. My role is head cheerleader, social butterfly and party girl. Yours is book-nerd, broody basketballer."

Lucas stopped at her words, realising for the first time that the fiery brunette whom everyone both loved and feared had a fragile side to her. She intrigued him more than anyone he had ever met and he barely knew her. He took a step closer, trying desperately to decipher what could possibly be running through her mind.

"Why is someone as smart as you with a guy like Felix?"

Reaching out, Lucas gently tucked a loose chocolate tendril behind Brooke's ear. She shivered at the touch of his hand on her skin, so gentle and soft. It was a fair question but one she could easily answer.

"Why is someone as smart as you with a girl like Rachel?"

_Check mate_.

Staring into his eyes, Brooke froze on the spot. Kiss or run? Kiss or run? She couldn't explain the turmoil she felt, pulled in the different directions as her head battled with her heart. It was completely wrong for them to be together. She knew she had been playing with fire but Brooke Davis as known for her wild behaviour. Yet somehow, being with Lucas didn't seem like some sort of challenge she had to conquer. It was easy standing near him. _Safe_.

"Who should I be with if not Rachel?"

Brooke took another step closer, her lower lip becoming consumed by pristine white teeth. He gasped as she bit down, the brunette remembering that tiny move was actually a turn on for the older-Scott brother.

"Who do you want to be with?"

It was if that one question ignited a flame. Stepping forward suddenly and closing the gap between them, Lucas launched himself onto Brooke's lips with fiery, wild abandon. She felt the softness encapsulate her as she returned the kiss, the tip of his tongue hungrily sliding into her mouth and tasting her. She felt a thrilling tingling sensation rise throughout her body and immediately her arms flew up and pulled him in for me. He returned the sentiment, breathing heavily as he pushed her up against the door of her waiting car. It was as if their hands had longed for this moment, taking every opportunity to touch every single part of each other's bodies. Barely able to take breath, Lucas' hands grabbed the side of Brooke's face and caressed her cheek softly, slowing his lips until the came to a standstill on her lips. There Brooke watched and waited as Lucas slowly opened his eyes and looked down upon her.

"Damn it," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead as he closed his eyes once more. She couldn't tell if he was riding a wave of pleasure or pain. His look was tortured and to be honest, it mirrored her sentiments exactly. That was the most terrifying and absolutely satisfying thirty seconds of her life. Her knees felt weak and her mind was a foggy haze of happiness and fear.

_Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott together? _

_A Couple? _

_**Impossible.**_

"Oh _Pretty Girl,_ what are you doing to me?"

Before she could answer, the brooding teenager turned on his heels and headed back in the direction he came from, never once looking back. She spoke softly to the wind, as if to answer the question more for herself than for him.

"I'm stealing your heart away, Broody," she whispered, velvety tones falling onto the wind like a love-sick melody.

"Just like you've stolen mine."

**x~X~x**

_I know there isn't any Chris and Peyton in this chapter but it was becoming too long. I have their scene played out in my head and so at least the next chapter has somewhere to start! Anyway, please read and review. They mean so much to me._

_Let me know where you'd like the story to go, how you feel about the couples, what couples you want to see, etc._

_Any feedback is appreciated!_

_-C_


	9. New Thoughts and Hopes

**AN:** Thanks for all the reviews. I'm going to just write as much as I can for every story. I may not do them in order of updates, but more inspiration and review feedback. I've also found my CW notes for another fic I had written over there called _The Truth Shall Set You Free_ and will soon be updating that fic too. This means basically I've got 5 stories on the go – so please be patient with me and my poor hands that are getting sorer by the day lol.

**Special shout out** to _miakeila, dianehermans, nena, DestructoGirl, sunshine, lilohb, LoveWritingxoxo, jcubed3 _and my mystery _Guest _reviewer. Thank you for taking the time to review! Please don't hesitate to PM/DM me with any questions or just to chat!

As always, **PLEASE REVIEW!**

_- C_

**A Beautiful Mess**

**x~X~x**

'New thoughts and hopes were whirling through my mind,

and all the colours of my life were changing.'

Charles Dickens

**x~X~x**

**Chapter 9: New Thoughts and Hopes**

_Thump._

Lugging another heavy box of CDs from the storeroom, Chris Keller let out a loud sigh of exaggerated exhaustion and promptly threw his arms down on the counter. Thirty-five minutes into his shift and he was already feeling as though he'd been stuck there for hours. Normally he would be as keen as mustard to be back in his safe-haven of rock legends but today was Friday which meant everyone was heading to the game and he was stuck there alphabetising the latest pop and country albums.

Taylor Swift? _Yech._ He'd rather listen to Meatloaf on repeat _ad-nauseam_.

As if sensing his disdain, the phone beside him buzzed to life. Jumping onto the receiver, the aspiring musician cleared his throat and hoped for a long customer call.

"Denny's Records, Chris speaking. How can I help you?"

"_You sound way too happy to be at work, Keller." _Sighing into the other end of the phone, Haley's tone dripped with the sarcasm the young boy had grown used to and semi-fond-of. He laughed gently, soft chuckles escaping his lips as he turned around and leaned his back against the counter.

"Hey Spaz-Monkey, what can the Keller do for you this fine evening? Perhaps another copy of _Celine Dion's Greatest Hits_? You know if you keep buying all the copies…"

"_Oh shut-up, Chris,"_ Haley groaned into the phone, Chris chuckling once more at her annoyed tone. She was like a sister to him and unfortunately for her, that meant all the wonder evil-brother teasing was part and parcel of their friendship. _"I'm calling about the game tonight. You're taking me."_

"Noooooo, no, no, no, no" Chris replied, twirling his finger around the bottom of his t-shirt as he shook his head. "I am not going to the game, honey."

"_Yes you are,"_ Haley retaliated, the edge slipping into her tone. _"And you can pick me up at seven."_

"Listen," Chris countered, shaking his head as he tried to think of way to diffuse the James bomb. It was always a tricky matter and required delicacy. "Basketball and pep just aren't my style. You know that."

"_It's not about style, Chris,"_ the young girl replied, her annoyance growing more and more evident as the conversation went on. _"It's about supporting your best friend at his first game at a new school."_

Chris closed his eyes as she continued on, knowing that it was going to be a discussion that would last. He turned and stared at the counter before him, wondering if it were possible to put the phone down and Haley not notice?

"… _always scary starting a new school and his younger brother hasn't exactly made it easy for him…"_

Suddenly the bell chimed above the record store's door and a familiar lock of blonde curls walked slowly in. With a metallic blue iPod attached to one ear, Peyton Sawyer went straight to the Punk Rock section, a smile traipsing over Chris' lips as he watched her.

Damn, she was so beautiful.

"_Chris? Did you put the phone down again? __**CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON KELLER-**__"_

_Click._

"Can I help you?" Swallowing hard, Chris waited as Peyton turned to face him, hazel orbs enlarging slightly as she realised who was behind the counter. She raised her eyebrows; a look of contempt crossing over her features as she glared at him. It was a look that Chris had come to know extremely well.

"Do I _look_ like someone who needs help?"

And there it was; the _venom_. She elongated the word like she was talking to a moron and her tone carried with it just enough fire to sting. Chris plastered on his goofy grin, wanting nothing more than to be challenged by the blonde beauty before him. If it was sparks she wanted, then he was about to unleash a whole freakin' fireworks display.

"Normally I'd say no considering you're pretty feisty and downright scary at times, but when it comes to music taste… _ehhhh_," he let his words trail off, a slight shrug of the shoulders causing her to shake her head and place the CD she was holding back onto the stack. Without so much as a backwards glance at the rest of the musical collection, Peyton walked over until she was on the other side of the counter, Chris' heart skipping a beat as she drew near.

"Alright then, Muso. Try me."

He smiled at her challenge, knowing deep down that no-one knew bands the way he did. He practically lived and breathed music. It coursed through his veins like blood. This was going to be easy and he was silently congratulating himself on his small victory.

"Alright then, Blondie," he replied, his tone saturated with a matter-of-factness that made her roll her eyes and breathe out a quick puff of unimpressed air. "How about - _Say hello on a day like today, say it every time you move, the-_"

"_-The way that you look at me now makes me wish I was you-" _Peyton cut him off, her eyes determined to send him a message of her complete and utter dominance and slight boredom. "The Cure, Head on the Door album, circa 1985. At least make this hard, Muso."

He nodded his head, slightly impressed. "Alright, I suppose that was an easy album. How about - _You come crash into me and I come into you, I-"_

"_-I come into you in a boys dream, in a boys dream_. Dave Matthews Band, Crash Album. Circa 1996. Seriously, are you even trying or do you enjoy being beaten by a girl?" She raised one eyebrow this time, challenge successful. Chris couldn't help but find her powerful, dominant nature a complete turn on. Then again, being a young sixteen year-old male meant he found everything a turn on.

"_You look so fine, I want to br-"_

"-_Break your heart and give you mine._ Garbage, version 2.0. Next."

"_I look into your eyes, diving into the ocean, I look-"_

"-_I look into your eyes, Falling._ M83. Saturdays = Youth. What else?"

"_And I'm so sad like a good book I can't put this-"_

"_-this day back; a sorta fairytale with you_. Tori Amos. Scarlet's Walk. Are we done playing this game now? Because I actually have things to do tonight."

"Fine, something completely left field that only the cool kids are listening to." He cleared his throat, determined to make her feel as though she had met her match. _"I wanted to bite not destroy to feel her underneath…"_

She gazed at him, completely silent. A look of wonder spread across her face as if she were trying to decipher a riddle that was confusing and uncertain. Chris flushed a little at her look and felt a warm glow of pride spreading through him, internally glad he had made her feel as though she perhaps didn't know everything when it came to music and more importantly, had misjudged him. At least now he might look like someone who had an interesting side to him. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, her eyes never leaving his face.

"_Turning into the light."_

_Damn it_. How did she do that? It was like she had access to his music catalogue and listened to every single record on repeat. Before he could ask her anything though she titled her head, golden curls dancing on her t-shirt-covered shoulders.

"You have good taste in music."

Chris felt his jaw hit the countertop and he wished that there was some part of him that could formulate a decent response to her completely surprising compliment. It was definitely not what he'd expected to hear and her words had somehow managed to paralyse him. Chris was fairly certain he had entered into a medically-defined case of shock.

"Thanks."

"Thanks?" she asked him, Peyton's reply causing Chris to wince slightly and wish he'd come up with a less-lame reply. "Yeah, I mean for that and also for what you did the other day with Lucas and Nathan. In the gym. With the supporting Lucas and the dumping Nathan and everything…"

His voice trailed off as she stood before him, fingertips drumming the counter top as she looked at him.

"You're not the typical cheerleader, are you?"

Peyton pushed her palms down into the desk, titling her head to the side and shaking her head – _no_.

"I'm not the typical anything," came the soft stoic reply, Chris barely able to think straight. Before he could stop himself, he smiled, the adrenalin pumping through him like liquid courage.

"Go out with me."

He probably sounded like he had been drinking.

He couldn't have been more ridiculously nerdy and clueless and completely smitten but he'd said it. He'd asked her out. To hell with social etiquette and hierarchy and the fact that both Nathan and Lucas were going to beat his ass for ever uttering those words or even thinking he had a chance. _To hell with all of it_.

It was worth it just to see the look on her face.

She smiled.

Peyton Sawyer – _ice queen extraordinaire_ – smiled at Chris Keller and her pearly white teeth shone towards him like a beacon of hope. She pushed herself off the service desk and stepped back through the store, her golden curls bouncing hypnotically as she walked away. Before exiting she turned and smiled at him again, pulling blackened shades over her eyes before disappearing out the door. Chris was sure his heart was about to either stop completely or explode out of his chest. Racing for the phone, the musician dialled the numbers so quickly his fingers were a blur. It took exactly two rings before he blurted into the receiver.

"Hales, about the game tonight. I'm in."

**x~X~x**

The evening air felt crisp as it blew calmly across the cemented paths of the high school. Bodies littered the sidewalks in enthusiasm, dripping with the excitement they felt for the night's game. It was the first since the schools had merged and both sides felt they had a point to prove. To the other schools out there, it was a warning – to each other, it was more pissing competition. Which captain would be more dominant? Which side would contain better players? These were the whispered gossips of every pair of eyes that fell on the first co-captain to show his face. Lucas kept his head low, the steady beat of Augustana filtering into his ears from his carefully hidden iPod. It was his familiar game-day ritual when coming into school – lay low, keep focussed, listen to favourite music. Every single game before the tradition had worked, but today it did nothing. Even as he tried to focus on the lyrics, Lucas couldn't erase the feeling that dwelled in the pit of his stomach. Was it fear? Nerves? Confusion? His week had been rattled to say the least. Not since his lips had met Brooke's had he been able to steal her away to talk. Each time they had come close someone had interrupted them. If he were honest with himself, Lucas would admit that the whole thing was starting to annoy him.

"Hey."

Nearly jumping out of his skin, Lucas turned towards the slight fingertips that graced his shoulder in a quick tap. Slowly, he pulled the headphones from his ears and looked at a familiar face.

"Hey Rach."

She smiled with hesitation, clearly nervous. For as long as he hadn't spoken to Brooke, he hadn't spoken to Rachel. Things between them felt so tense. The past week had actually been a massacre of his love-life. He cringed just thinking about it.

"So, you haven't called me back in days." Sighing deeply, Rachel took a step closer to Lucas and looked at him with half-accusing, half-pleading eyes. "I've said I'm sorry like a million times and I meant it every time. Why can't you just forgive me?"

Delicate fingertips clasped around his jacket, Rachel's eyes falling down as if trying to shield herself from his stare. Her familiar smell engulfed him as she edged closer, unable to let him go. "I miss you, so much. I want to work this out, Luke."

Lucas closed his eyes at her words, knowing that she probably meant them. Deep down he knew he couldn't be so wholly mad at her. She did what she did with Nathan at that party because that was who she was. She liked having friends- she liked attention. She had never hidden that part of herself from him. And for years Lucas had been okay with it because it made being with her easy. He didn't have to work hard at making them work – they just sort-of fitted together like a child's puzzle. Add that to the fact that a few days ago his lips had been against someone else's and it was pretty clear that being mad made him a giant hypocrite, even if she had started the whole thing.

But he didn't want to be that guy. The guy who got people back if they hurt him – _the revenge guy_. That wasn't who he was and that wasn't what happened with Brooke. She wasn't revenge. She was something else entirely that even he didn't understand. But in order for him to even begin to work it out in his own head he needed to clear things with Rachel.

"Rach, listen." Her shoulders fell the minute he spoke and yet she didn't let go of his jacket, as if holding onto him would stop the flow of words that she knew were headed in her direction. "I'm just not sure we can do that."

Rachel swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she regained her train of thought. He wouldn't do that to her – to them. They had been together since junior high – it wasn't going to end now over a new school and new people that would benefit both of them if he just loosened up on the whole brother thing.

"Of course we can," she smiled, pulling him close to her so that his eyes were looking directly into her own. "We're Lucas and Rachel. We can do anything."

"Maybe before," Lucas sighed, looking down at the redhead before him with sympathy. "But things are different now."

"No, they're not that different, we just have to-"

"-They are different," Lucas broke through her sentence, shocking her into silence. "If things weren't different, you would never have kissed my brother to score brownie points-"

"-It wasn't for brownie points," she replied, the offense in her tone evident. "We're starting a new school and it was a game. _Harmless fun_. Honestly Luke, it's like you've forgotten what that means."

"Watching my girlfriend kiss my brother wasn't fun for me," the basketballer retaliated, frustration boiling in his blood. "I think our definitions of the word are incredibly different."

"What can I do?" she begged, battering her eyelashes as she twirled her fingertips in the stitching of his jacket. "What can I do to prove to you that I want you and I want to be in this?"

"Just give me space," Lucas replied, shaking his head and trying to step back from her. She held on, shaking her head slightly as if to say no. but his eyes were resolute and she closed her own, leaning her head into his jacket as she tried to compose herself.

"Okay," she whispered, luscious auburn locks dangling over her shoulders as she pulled away from him. She smiled softly, the sadness in her eyes mixing with the hope she felt that he would come back to her one day. "I can give you space if it means you'll come back to me."

"Rachel, I can't promi-"

Cutting him off, Rachel reached up and placed her lips gently on Lucas', her hand unravelling from the jacket before her and cupping the side of his face. Her lips flowed over his like a love song melody, gently and softly before finally pulling away. Smiling, she lingered inches from his face for a moment before turning on her heel and making her way inside the female locker rooms. Lucas sighed, not sure what the hell had just happened. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the headphones and brought them to his ear. It was then he noticed a pair of familiar emerald orbs, glaring at him from across the cement. His heart sank, the young brooding blonde opening his mouth to call out but to no avail.

_Brooke Davis had seen everything_.

Grabbing her pom-poms, the feisty brunette shook her head at Lucas in disappointment. Without so much as a word, Brooke made her way straight past the elder Scott and refused to acknowledge him, not once looking in his direction before disappearing into the girls' locker room.

"Damn," Lucas murmured under his breath, switching his iPod off and throwing it angrily into his gym bag before storming off to his own locker room and into the impending game that had everyone on edge.

**x~X~x**

"_Bring Night! Bring the night on!_

_Bring a little bit of dance bring a little bit of song, yeah! _

_Bring Night! Bring the night on!_

_I'm not sure I can wait and this day has felt so long, yeah!_

_Bring Night! Bring the night on!_

_The music cuts into me and I know it can't be wrong, yeah!_

_Bring Night! Bring the night on!_

_Cuz all that we are after is a little bit of fun, yeah!"_

Cheers erupted from the packed gymnasium as the _newly-merged-and-reformed_ Ravens Cheerleaders marched out onto the slick basketball court to the infectious beat that bounced off the cemented walls. Flags flew triumphantly as lights flashed across the flock of genetically-blessed beauties as they stepped and clapped and cheered. Black, white and blue skimmed soft white thighs, each sway of the hips arousing more than just happy calls of appreciation. Dangerously seductive, Brooke Davis stepped to the front and raised her pom-poms in the air, titling her hip up before allowing it float back down again like a rolling wave. So seemingly effortless, it wasn't hard to see why she was the head girl.

Well – the first part of the head-girl duo.

Throwing her hands together and entwining her fingers, Rachel smiled as she stepped into the spotlight, luscious red locks pinned back to reveal her creamy white skin. She smiled at the adoring spectators before her, heart racing and the flashes of cameras and smiles that gazed upon her. Sia blasted in the speakers above her and she felt truly in her element. Turning towards the basketball teams that lay huddled on their bench, she flicked a wink in the opposing teams direction before turning back to find the baby blues of her boyfriend.

Only problem was, he wasn't looking at her.

Following his gaze, Rachel stepped quickly to keep in time and swallowed hard. Standing beside her, Brooke kicked her right leg up into the air perfectly, the crowd growing louder by the minute. Smiling at their reaction, the brunette turned and gazed directly at Lucas, creamy shoulders rising up and down to the beat like a lover's dance. Rachel growled, turning back to look at Lucas who didn't even see her. Anger burned within the redhead cheerleader like an out-of-control wildfire. Her boyfriend couldn't take his eyes off of Brooke and finally the realisation of why he now suddenly hesitated about their relationship dawned upon her.

The music ended, Rachel plastering on a smile as the cheerleaders raised their pom-poms into the air victoriously.

"Go Ravens," came the universal cry, petite frames skipping off the waxed court and onto the sidelines. Smiling, Rachel traipsed past her fellow squad members and slid in beside her co-captain, Brooke sending her a quick, unappreciative look before turning her attention back to the basketballers currently making their way onto the court.

"By the way," Rachel whispered, her eyes watching the game as she spoke. "Stay the hell away from my boyfriend."

"Are you lost?" Brooke replied, the duo fighting it out without even looking at one-another. "I don't remember inviting you to speak to me."

"Trust me, if you keep giving my boyfriend those pathetic googly eyes I'll accept that as an invitation to beat your ass." Rachel, raised her pom-poms and smiled, shaking them furiously in the air before bringing them down again.

"Okay, since your mother obviously dropped you on your head when you were a baby or you've died that tragic hair of yours one too many times, I'll explain this to you nice and slow." Brooke smiled as a ball from Nathan sailed flawlessly into the basket, bringing the crowd to life. "I have a boyfriend. His name is Felix and if you're having trouble in paradise with your boyfriend you might want to reconsider making out with his brother."

"I'm warning you-"

"-trust me," Brooke breathed, turning to face Rachel with a fake smile plastered across her features. With Whitey within close proximity, she wasn't going to let this foreigner cause a scene which may end up costing her the captaincy. "You ever try warning me and you'll truly know what it feels like to get your period out of your nose."

"I thought you girls were supposed to cheer!" growling from the sidelines, Coach Whitey looked and Brooke and Rachel in annoyance. "Gossiping wasn't part of that deal."

Giving each other a look that could kill, the girls parted ways to rally the troops from opposite sides of the bench. The whistle blew overhead, a time-out called from the other team. Nathan trotted off the field with Lucas close on his heels, clearly out of breath and annoyed.

"Hey," the blonde Scott growled, Nathan turning to see what his forgotten sibling wanted. "Ever thought of sharing the ball?"

"I don't share things with you, Luke-_ass_," Nathan growled in reply, turning to look into the stands at a familiar honey-haired girl. "I take things." A broad smile came across his features, the raven-haired b-baller sliding in with his team mates as Whitey growled at them. Lucas glanced into the direction Nathan had, his eyes landing on Chris and Haley as they both waved at him. He turned away, flat and confused.

"Whoa," Chris replied, shaking his head as Haley gazed at Lucas in concern. "That was cold. What's his problem?"

Haley shrugged, her eyes darting between Lucas and Nathan with concern. Even though he had promised to lay off Lucas, Nathan was hardly showing him any support. Any ball that came near to the elder-Scott, Nathan intercepted and kept for himself. No one was passing the ball unless they came from Lucas' original team and even then, some of them seem intimidated by Nathan. Lucas was being shoved out and she didn't like it. Running back onto the court, Haley sighed as she watched Lucas fall short again, Nathan refusing to pass him the ball.

"Well at least the view is great from here."

Snapping her back into the conversation, Haley turned to see what Chris was grinning at. She shook her head when her eyes landed on Peyton, the curly blonde standing to her feet and shaking her pom-poms at chest level. Haley sighed, wondering why Chris was so damn focussed on the angry cheerleader.

"Is she really worth all of this?" Haley rose her hands in the air, signalling where Chris currently was the musician sat back, trying to sound offended and annoyed but failing miserably.

"You asked me to come."

"To support Lucas," Haley countered, eyes gazing back towards Peyton before returning to Chris once more. "You came to see her."

"So what?" Chris replied, shrugging his shoulders and looking at Peyton. "She's amazing, Hales. She likes the same music as me and she's strong and she's determined and even you have to admit, what she did in the gym the other day was amazing."

Haley nodded her head, conceding that fact. Hell, when she'd heard about Peyton's public dumping on Nathan Scott to defend his older brother and public enemy number one, _Lucas Scott_, even she was impressed. The girl did have balls and wasn't exactly what Haley had judged her to be. But she was also dangerous and she was worried about her friend.

"Is it really worth it?"

Chris sighed and turned to look at Haley in annoyance. He shook his head, as if the words she said couldn't have been more foreign.

"Haven't you ever seen a flicker of something in someone and known that _that_ was the real them?"

Haley thought about his question, Chris' words floating around in her head as she gazed back out over the court. She watched as Nathan avoided sending the ball to Lucas again, the team down and hurting because of his decisions to block his older brother from shining. Nathan's words from the day before echoed suddenly though her mind.

"_Why can he do it? He doesn't live with Dan."_

The whistle blew for a time out, Whitey red in the face as he growled for his team get their asses over for a quick grilling. Haley turned to Chris and shoved him in the arm, the young boy turning to look at her.

"I'm going to get a soda. You want one?" He shook his head and continued to look over at Peyton, Haley rolling her eyes before standing up and jogging down the stairs towards the court. She reached the bottom quickly and searched for Nathan, the raven-haired jock running to look straight at her. He smiled and sent her a wink, but his smile soon faded when he saw a look of utter disappointment and anger painted on her features. His eyes fell slightly, the basketballer tapped on the shoulder as the time-out ended and he jogged quickly back onto the court. The whistle blew and the ball was up, sneakers squealing on the waxed floors as shouts called out from the sidelines. Nathan gazed up at the scoreboard and thought hard.

They were down by two and had fifteen seconds left on the clock.

Pounding the ball into the ground below, Nathan made his way across the court, cutting through the defence. Screams erupted as he sailed near the basket but arms reached out in front of him, the opposing team player blocking him.

"Here," Lucas called from his right, hands outstretched to take the ball.

Nathan breathed heavily, the clock winding down above him. Felix turned up on Nathan's left, hands outstretched as he too called for his friend to pass. Flashing a look up into the crowd, Nathan gazed at Haley before passing the ball, the crowd gasping as the ball sailed into the hands of his brother, Lucas Scott.

Lucas gazed at Nathan in confusion as the ball hit his grip.

"Shoot it you big girl!"

Without a second to lose, Lucas lined up the shot, his feet behind the three-point line. The buzzer sounded as the ball left his fingertips, the crowd waiting anxiously as it connected with the basket and looped the top of its ring before sinking into the net. The crowd erupted in delight, the cheerleaders jumping to their feet as the team jumped onto Lucas with glee. He smiled as his team mates pat him on the back, then turns to face his younger brother, eyes uncertain.

_What now?_

"Nice shot," Nathan replied, Felix standing beside him and gazing at Lucas in annoyance. "After party at my place. You should stop by with your friends."

Before Lucas could answer, Nathan was dragged away by roaring fans and enthusiastic cheerleaders. He stood there in place, eyes drifting over to Brooke who was watching him, the brunette turning when her blonde best friend pulled on her arm to drag her back out of the gym. Lucas watched as she walked away and then turned to face the basketball hoop, shaking his head as his mind whirled with the night's events.

_What the hell just happened?_

**x~X~x**

_Let me know your thoughts everyone!_

_Hit that __**review **__button!_

_Chrissy_


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